§831c–2. Civil actions for injury or loss of property or personal injury or death

(a) Exclusiveness of remedy

(1) An action against the Tennessee Valley Authority for injury or loss of property, or personal injury or death arising or resulting from the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any employee of the Tennessee Valley Authority while acting within the scope of this office or employment is exlusive ¹ of any other civil action or proceeding by reason of the same subject matter against the employee or his estate whose act or omission gave rise to the claim. Any other civil action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the same subject matter against the employee or his estate is precluded without regard to when the act or omission occurred.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not extend or apply to a cognizable action against an employee of the Tennessee Valley Authority for money damages for a violation of the Constitution of the United States.

(b) Representation and removal

(1) Upon certification by the Tennessee Valley Authority that the defendant employee was acting within the scope of his office or employment at the time of the incident out of which the claim arose, any civil action or proceeding heretofore or hereafter commenced upon such claim in a United States district court shall be deemed an action against the Tennessee Valley Authority pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 831c(b) and the Tennessee Valley Authority shall be substituted as the party defendant.

(2) Upon certification by the Tennessee Valley Authority that the defendant employee was acting within the scope of his office or employment at the time of the incident out of which the claim arose, any civil action or proceeding commenced upon such claim in a State court shall be removed without bond at any time before trial by the Tennessee Valley Authority to the district court of the United States for the district and division embracing the place wherein it is pending. Such action shall be deemed an action brought against the Tennessee Valley Authority under the provisions of this title ² and all references thereto, and the Tennessee Valley Authority shall be substituted as the party defendant. This certification of the Tennessee Valley Authority shall conclusively establish scope of office or employment for purposes of removal.

(3) In the event that the Tennessee Valley Authority has refused to certify scope of office or employment under this section, the employee may at any time before trial petition the court to find and certify that the employee was acting within the scope of his office or employment. Upon such certification by the court, such action shall be deemed an action brought against the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Tennessee Valley Authority shall be substituted as the party defendant. A copy of the petition shall be served upon the Tennessee Valley Authority in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. In the event the petition is filed in a civil action or proceeding pending in a State court, the action or proceeding may be removed without bond by the Tennessee Valley Authority to the district court of the United States for the district and division embracing the place in which it is pending. If, in considering the petition, the district court determines that the employee was not acting within the scope of his office or employment, the action or proceeding shall be remanded to the State court.

(4) Upon certification, any actions subject to paragraph (1), (2), or (3) shall proceed in the same manner as any action against the Tennessee Valley Authority and shall be subject to the limitations and exceptions applicable to those actions.

( Pub. L. 100–694, §9(a), (b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4566 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This title, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), probably should be this section, as Pub. L. 100–694, which enacted this section, did not contain titles.

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), are set out in the Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act of 1988, and not as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 which comprises this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Nov. 18, 1988, and applicable to all claims, civil actions, and proceedings pending on, or filed on or after Nov. 18, 1988, see section 8 of Pub. L. 100–694, set out as an Effective Date of 1988 Amendment note under section 2679 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

¹ So in original. Probably should be "exclusive".

² See References in Text note below.