Skip to main content

Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act: Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 29-20-101 to -408

This memo discusses the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act (TCA §§ 29-20-101 to -408). The GTLA preserves local governmental entities’ immunity from suit “except as otherwise provided.” The Act contains four parts: (I) General Provisions; (II) Removal of Immunity; (III) Claims Procedure; and (IV) Funding and Insurance.

Kidwell, Laura
Legal Opinion
Tennessee--Laws and regulations
State government
State government--Laws and regulations
State government--Tennessee
Litigation
Tennessee
Internal
06/13/2025

Administrative hearing officer survey

Eight cities were asked several questions about their administrative hearing officer program.

Adams-O'Brien, Frances
Survey
AHO survey 2012.pdf (189.99 KB)
Building codes
Code enforcement--Personnel
Internal
04/29/2021
04/23/2012

Tennessee Open Meetings Act violation

MTAS was asked how a governing body can cure a violation or alleged violation of the Tennessee Open Meetings Act (TOMA).

Hodge, Elisha
Legal Opinion
Open meetings--Laws and regulations--Tennessee
Public
04/21/2021
08/24/2020

An ordinance adopting an unclaimed property policy

A sample ordinance that can be used by any city or town in Tennessee that explains how officials can dispose of unclaimed property.

Ashburn, Melissa
Hodge, Elisha; Travis, Tonya
Ordinance
Abandoned property
Tennessee--Laws and regulations
Public
12/6/2021
08/21/2020

Tower site lease agreement

MTAS was asked to develop a communication tower lease agreement.

Darden, Ron
General
Telecommunications
Wireless communication systems
Contracts
Internal
04/15/2021
04/9/2008

Utility franchise agreement

MTAS was asked whether a municipal utility board may enter into a franchise agreement with a utility corporation without the city being a party to the agreement.

Hemsley, Sid
Legal Opinion
Franchises
Utilities
Utilities--Contracts and agreements
Utilities--Franchises
Internal
04/15/2021
08/14/2001

City judge issuing state warrant and admissibility of video tape in DUI case

MTAS was asked whether the city judge (who has concurrent jurisdiction) can issue a state warrant for a person who passes a school bus, upon the affidavit of the school bus driver, who doesn't know who was driving the car and whether a video tape of persons arrested for DUI is admissible at trial of the defendant.

Hemsley, Sid
Legal Opinion
Constitutional law
Courts--Judges
Police--Arrest procedure
Public
07/20/2021
02/18/1993

Local approval of general laws of local application

A letter urging compliance with the State Constitution.

Huffer, Dennis
McCroskey, Libby
Legal Opinion
Constitutional law
Laws and regulations--Tennessee
Tennessee--Laws and regulations
Public
06/25/2021
08/30/2007

TTY (text telephone) equipment survey

Thirteen cities responded to an MTAS survey about their usage of TTY (Text Telephone) or TDD (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf) equipment.

Stokes, Richard
Survey
Telecommunications devices for the deaf
Telecommunications
Telephones
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Disabled
Public
04/15/2021
02/20/2017

Use of polygraph and personal information in police applicant interviews

MTAS was asked about the legality of asking personal questions of police applicants when administering polygraph tests.

Ashburn, Melissa
Legal Opinion
Police--Personnel
Personnel--Selection and recruitment
Personnel--Selection and recruitment--Tests
Internal
05/12/2021
04/7/2004
Subscribe to