United States Ninth Circuit

Plaintiffs' claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act(FTCA), alleging negligence against the US for not maintaining firebreaks to prevent a large wildfire, is barred by the independent-contractor exception to the FTCA.

Appellate Information

• Argued 02/18/2005
• Decided 09/12/2005
• Published 09/12/2005

Judges

• KING, District Judge:, Before: B. FLETCHER, GOULD, Circuit Judges, and KING, District Judge.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Robert A. Dunn, Spokane, Washington;  Thomas A. Wolfe, Seattle, Washington;  and William J. Flynn, Jr., Kennewick, WA, for the plaintiffs-appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Rolf H. Tangvald, Assistant United States Attorney, Spokane, WA, for the defendants-appellees.