Federal Tort Claims Act - Discretionary Function Exception
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| The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) bars claims that are based on the performance or failure to perform a discretionary function or duty of a federal agency or federal government employee, even if there is an abuse of discretion. According to this "discretionary function exception," a personal injury action cannot be filed under the FTCA if the employee's negligence arises from a discretionary function or the execution of a statute or regulation.
Generally, conduct falls within the discretionary function exception if:
(1) the conduct involves an element of judgment or choice (Conduct involves an element of judgment or choice if it is grounded in social, economic, and political policy; conduct is likely to involve an element of judgment or choice if the conduct is governed by an agency's regulations.); and
(2) the conduct involves considerations of public policy.
Conduct such as planning, establishing policies, and allocating resources may fall within the discretionary function exception. Copyright 2010 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. |