Supreme Court of California

Public entities employing emergency dispatchers are not subject to direct liability for injury attributable in part to a dispatcher's failure or delay in responding to a 911 call, and vicarious liability is limited to cases involving gross negligence or bad faith.

Appellate Information

• Decided 12/18/2003
• Published 12/18/2003

Judges

• CHIN, J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
•  Law Offices of Charles D. Sneathern, Charles D. Sneathern, for Plaintiffs and Appellants., Baughman & Wang, David E. Russo, as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plantiffs and Appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Graves & King, Patrick L. Graves, Harvey W. Wimer III, Riverside, and Dennis J. Mahoney, San Bernardino, for Defendants and Respondents Regional Fire Protection Authority and City of Victorville., Cuff, Robinson & Jones, W.O. Robinson and Brian C. Cuff, Tustin, for Defendant and Respondent Barstow Fire Protection District., Dennis J. Herrera, City Attorney (San Francisco), Burk E. Delventhal and Ellen Forman, Deputy City Attorneys;  Pollak, Vida & Fisher, Girard Fisher and Daniel P. Barer for 76 California Cities, The California Association of Joint Powers Authorities and The California State Association of Counties as Amici Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents.