Howard v. City & County of San Francisco

California Supreme Court
Howard v. City & County of San Francisco, 51 Cal. 52 (Cal. 1875)

Howard v. City & County of San Francisco

Opinion of the Court

By the Court:

1. At common law, and in the absence of statutory provisions, the defendant, as being a municipal corporation, would not be liable for the negligence complained of in this action.

2. And we are of opinion that the provisions of the statute, under which the fire department of the city and county of San Francisco is organized and controlled, do not create a liability upon' the part of the city for acts of negligence committed by the officers or men of the department.

Judgment and order denying a new trial reversed and cause remanded.

Reference

Full Case Name
THOMAS B. HOWARD v. THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
Cited By
20 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
Liability op Municipal Corporation.—At common law, and in the absence of statutory provisions, a municipal corporation is not liable for damages sustained by the negligence or the persons acting in its fire department. Liability op San Francisco.—The provisions of the statute under which the fire department of San Francisco is organized, do not create a liability on the part of the city for acts of negligence committed by the members of its fire department while engaged in duties pertaining to the department.