Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102 (2024)
Chapter definitions
✓ Justia copy: laws through about 2024 (2025 and 2026 sessions missing)
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
- (1) "Claim" means any claim brought against a governmental entity or its employee as permitted by this chapter;
- (2) "Employee" means and includes any official (whether elected or appointed), officer, employee or servant, or any member of any board, agency, or commission (whether compensated or not), or any officer, employee or servant thereof, of a governmental entity, including the sheriff and the sheriff's employees and, further including regular members of voluntary or auxiliary firefighting, police, or emergency assistance organizations;
- (3)
- (A) "Governmental entity" means any political subdivision of the state of Tennessee including, but not limited to, any municipality, metropolitan government, county, utility district, school district, nonprofit volunteer fire department receiving funds appropriated by a county legislative body or a legislative body of a municipality, human resource agency, community action agency or nonprofit corporation that administers the Head Start or Community Service Block Grant programs, public building authority, and development district created and existing pursuant to the constitution and laws of Tennessee, or any instrumentality of government created by any one (1) or more of the named local governmental entities or by an act of the general assembly. "Governmental entity" also means a nonprofit public benefit corporation or charitable entity, including any entity with tax exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(3) (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)), that is appointed by statute, ordinance, resolution, contract, or other governmental directive to develop, maintain, manage, and provide services and activities at government owned property that is a public park, including facilities located on park property;
- (B)
- (i) In any county having a population not less than eight hundred ninety-seven thousand four hundred (897,400) and not more than eight hundred ninety-seven thousand five hundred (897,500), according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, "governmental entity" means any political subdivision of the state of Tennessee including, but not limited to, any municipality, county, utility district, school district, nonprofit volunteer fire department receiving funds appropriated by a county legislative body or a legislative body of a municipality, human resource agency, community action agency or nonprofit corporation that administers the Head Start or Community Service Block Grant programs, public building authority, development district created and existing pursuant to the constitution and laws of Tennessee, or any instrumentality of government created by any one (1) or more of the local governmental entities named in this subdivision (3)(B) or by an act of the general assembly, or nonprofit public benefit corporation operating a hospital whose voting board of directors or governing body is appointed, designated or elected by one (1) or more of the local governmental entities named in this subdivision (3)(B), and which hospital corporation either:
- (a) Receives funds appropriated by a county legislative body or a legislative body of a municipality; or
- (b) Receives or leases hospital real property from a county and/or municipality.
- (ii) Such hospital corporation shall be subject to title 8, chapter 44, and subject to title 10, chapter 7, to the extent that other local government hospitals and government hospital authorities are subject to such laws;
- (iii) This subdivision (3)(B) shall apply to all claims filed on or after July 1, 2003;
- (i) In any county having a population not less than eight hundred ninety-seven thousand four hundred (897,400) and not more than eight hundred ninety-seven thousand five hundred (897,500), according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, "governmental entity" means any political subdivision of the state of Tennessee including, but not limited to, any municipality, county, utility district, school district, nonprofit volunteer fire department receiving funds appropriated by a county legislative body or a legislative body of a municipality, human resource agency, community action agency or nonprofit corporation that administers the Head Start or Community Service Block Grant programs, public building authority, development district created and existing pursuant to the constitution and laws of Tennessee, or any instrumentality of government created by any one (1) or more of the local governmental entities named in this subdivision (3)(B) or by an act of the general assembly, or nonprofit public benefit corporation operating a hospital whose voting board of directors or governing body is appointed, designated or elected by one (1) or more of the local governmental entities named in this subdivision (3)(B), and which hospital corporation either:
- (C) In any county having a population not less than five hundred sixty-nine thousand eight hundred (569,800) nor more than five hundred sixty-nine thousand nine hundred (569,900), according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, "governmental entity" also means a nonprofit public benefit corporation or charitable entity, including an entity with tax exempt status under Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(3) (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)), that operates or is created to operate, in conjunction with a metropolitan hospital authority, where such authority was formed pursuant to the Metropolitan Hospital Authority Act, compiled in title 7, chapter 57; and
- (D) "Governmental entity" also means a nonprofit property owners association that:
- (i) Has received a determination of exemption from the internal revenue service under the federal Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(4) (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(4));
- (ii) Maintains more than one hundred (100) miles of roadway;
- (iii) Owns and operates a water or sewer distribution service;
- (iv) Appropriates funds to support a nonprofit volunteer fire department or a police department;
- (v) Manages trash pick-up services;
- (vi) Funds, operates, and maintains at least one (1) park, recreation facility, walking trail, and dog park; and
- (vii) Is a census designated place according to the 2010 federal census; and
- (4) "Injury" means death, injury to a person, damage to or loss of property or any other injury that one may suffer to one's person, or estate, that would be actionable if inflicted by a private person or such person's agent.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 534, s 1, eff. 5/25/2021.
Amended by 2015 Tenn. Acts, ch. 487, s 1, eff. 5/20/2015.
Acts 1973, ch. 345, § 2; 1976, ch. 608, §§ 1, 2; T.C.A., § 23-3302; modified; Acts 1984, ch. 889, § 1; 1986, ch. 942, § 1; 1998, ch. 937, § 1; 2003 , ch. 321, §§ 1, 2; 2005, ch. 54, § 1; 2009 , ch. 206, §§ 1, 2; 2010 , ch. 752, § 1; 2011 , ch. 318, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 70
cases (13 in the last 5 years), 1982–2026 · leading case: Limbaugh v. Coffee Med. Ctr., 59 S.W.3d 73 (Tenn. 2001).
Limbaugh v. Coffee Med. Ctr., 59 S.W.3d 73 (Tenn. 2001). “[4] The parties stipulated that CMC is a governmental entity as defined in Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-20-102(3). [5] Oral argument was heard on June 13, 2001, in Nashville.”
Conley v. State, 141 S.W.3d 591 (Tenn. 2004). “] Tenn.Code Ann. § 29-20-102(3)(A) (Supp. 2003) (emphasis added).”
Jenkins v. Loudon Cnty., 736 S.W.2d 603 (Tenn. 1987). “The GTLA applies only to those government entities as defined in T.C.A. § 29-20-102, which does not include the State itself or its agencies and includes only the political subdivisions of the State and their agencies.”
Est. of Bell v. Shelby Cnty. Health Care Corp., 318 S.W.3d 823 (Tenn. 2010). “In an order issued on September 12, 2008, the court held that the Med "is and was a governmental entity subject to the Governmental Tort Liability Act as codified by Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-20-102, et seq., at the time of the filing of Plaintiffs' Complaint, December 10,…”
Brown v. City of Memphis, 440 F. Supp. 2d 868 (W.D. Tenn. 2006). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 29-20-102(1). While counties, municipalities, and other government entities generally enjoy sovereign immunity under the GTLA, § 29-20-205 waives this immunity for negligent acts of government employees under most circumstances.”
P.G. v. Rutherford Cnty. Bd. of Educ., 313 F. Supp. 3d 891 (M.D. Tenn. 2018). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102 (3). The GTLA is a comprehensive scheme which governs tort actions against governmental entities, including the RCBOE.”
Keaton v. Hancock Cnty. Bd. of Educ., 119 S.W.3d 218 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003). “The definition of "governmental entity,” set forth in Tenn.Code Ann. § 29-20-102(3) (2000), includes a school district.”
Baines v. Wilson Cnty., 86 S.W.3d 575 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2002). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 29-20-102(2). Thus, an employee works for the governmental entity and is not the same as or equivalent to that entity.”
Mowdy v. Kelly, 667 S.W.2d 489 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1983). “T.C.A. § 29-20-102(2) defines an employee to "mean and include any official whether elected or appointed, officer, employee or servant, or any member of any board, agency, or commission (whether compensated or not), or any officer, employee or servant thereof, of a governmental…”
Evans v. Perkey, 647 S.W.2d 636 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1982). “The hospital, in its motion, said also it is a governmental entity as defined in T.C.A. § 29-20-102 and it was not given written notice as required by T.”
Simpson v. Sumner Cnty., 669 S.W.2d 657 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1983). “) Defendants also rely on T.C.A. § 29-20-102(4) which states: “Injury” means death, injury to a person, damage to or loss of property or any other injury that a person may suffer to his person, or estate, that would be actionable if inflicted by a private person or his agent.”
Swafford v. City of Chattanooga, 743 S.W.2d 174 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1987). “” T.C.A. § 29-20-102(4) (1980 and Supp.1986).”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102(1): 2 cases
Brown v. City of Memphis, 440 F. Supp. 2d 868 (W.D. Tenn. 2006). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 29-20-102(1). While counties, municipalities, and other government entities generally enjoy sovereign immunity under the GTLA, § 29-20-205 waives this immunity for negligent acts of government employees under most circumstances.”
Keri Williams v. City of Milan, No. W2010-00450-COA-R9-CV, 2011 WL 538868 (Tenn. Ct. App. Feb. 16, 2011).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102(2): 8 cases
Jenkins v. Loudon Cnty., 736 S.W.2d 603 (Tenn. 1987). “The GTLA applies only to those government entities as defined in T.C.A. § 29-20-102, which does not include the State itself or its agencies and includes only the political subdivisions of the State and their agencies.”
Baines v. Wilson Cnty., 86 S.W.3d 575 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2002). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 29-20-102(2). Thus, an employee works for the governmental entity and is not the same as or equivalent to that entity.”
Mowdy v. Kelly, 667 S.W.2d 489 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1983). “T.C.A. § 29-20-102(2) defines an employee to "mean and include any official whether elected or appointed, officer, employee or servant, or any member of any board, agency, or commission (whether compensated or not), or any officer, employee or servant thereof, of a governmental…”
Spurlock v. Sumner Cnty., 42 S.W.3d 75 (Tenn. 2001).
Hensley v. Fowler, 920 S.W.2d 649 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1995).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102(3): 7 cases
Limbaugh v. Coffee Med. Ctr., 59 S.W.3d 73 (Tenn. 2001). “[4] The parties stipulated that CMC is a governmental entity as defined in Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-20-102(3). [5] Oral argument was heard on June 13, 2001, in Nashville.”
Keaton v. Hancock Cnty. Bd. of Educ., 119 S.W.3d 218 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003). “The definition of "governmental entity,” set forth in Tenn.Code Ann. § 29-20-102(3) (2000), includes a school district.”
Britton v. Claiborne Cnty., 898 S.W.2d 220 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1994).
Eye Clinic, P.C. v. Jackson-Madison Cnty. Gen. Hosp., 986 S.W.2d 565 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1998).
Johnson v. South Cent. Human Resource Agency, 926 S.W.2d 951 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1996).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102(3)(A): 5 cases
Conley v. State, 141 S.W.3d 591 (Tenn. 2004). “] Tenn.Code Ann. § 29-20-102(3)(A) (Supp. 2003) (emphasis added).”
Danny Jones v. Shelby Cnty. Div. of Corr., No. W2007-00198-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Feb. 12, 2008).
Williams v. Prisoner Transp. Servs., LLC, No. 3:19-cv-00599 (M.D. Tenn. Mar. 25, 2021).
Lawrence v. Ryan, No. 2:23-cv-02102 (W.D. Tenn. Mar. 13, 2024).
A.T. v. Cleveland City Schs. Bd. of Educ. (TV3), No. 1:22-cv-00110 (E.D. Tenn. Sept. 27, 2024).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102(3)(B): 1 case
Frederick Bertrand v. Reg'l Med. Ctr. At Memphis, No. W2008-00025-COA-R3-CV, 2008 WL 4334921 (Tenn. Ct. App. Sept. 23, 2008).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102(3)(B)(iii): 1 case
Est. of Bell v. Shelby Cnty. Health Care Corp., 318 S.W.3d 823 (Tenn. 2010). “In an order issued on September 12, 2008, the court held that the Med "is and was a governmental entity subject to the Governmental Tort Liability Act as codified by Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-20-102, et seq., at the time of the filing of Plaintiffs' Complaint, December 10,…”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-20-102(4): 3 cases
Simpson v. Sumner Cnty., 669 S.W.2d 657 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1983). “) Defendants also rely on T.C.A. § 29-20-102(4) which states: “Injury” means death, injury to a person, damage to or loss of property or any other injury that a person may suffer to his person, or estate, that would be actionable if inflicted by a private person or his agent.”
Swafford v. City of Chattanooga, 743 S.W.2d 174 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1987). “” T.C.A. § 29-20-102(4) (1980 and Supp.1986).”
Earl Van Winkle v. City of LaVergne, No. M2000-01784-COA-R3-CV, 2001 WL 1141349 (Tenn. Ct. App. Sept. 27, 2001).
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