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Arlington V. Williams Summary

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Case Citation: University of Texas at Arlington v. Williams, 459 S.W. 3d 48 (Tex. 2015) Parties: Univ. of Tex. at Arlington, et al., Petitioner Sandra Williams and Steve Williams, et al., Respondents Facts: The respondent, Sandra Williams, filed a law suit with the petitioner, University of Texas at Arlington due to injuries the respondent sustained when she fell from the bleacher area at UTA’s Maverick Stadium. The respondents were present at the petitioner’s stadium to watch a high school soccer game. On the conclusion of the game, the respondent waited at a guard rail that divides the stands from the playing field. The stands are five above the playing field with access to the field through a gate secured with a lock and chain. When portable stairs are placed at the gate this allows access to the field. The stairs were not in place during this particular game. The respondent was leaned up against the gate waiting at the end of the game when it opened dropping her to the field below causing injuries. Procedural History: The respondents filed …show more content…

Although the petitioner, UTA cited primarily subsection (L) of the recreational statute as a catch all, the court found it is not intended to protect school organized sports just because they occur outdoors. The intent is for activities commonly associated with the enjoyment of nature while outdoors on private property. This encourages private owners to allow citizens on their land for the purposes of recreational activities like fishing, camping, canoeing or bicycling. This provides a level of immunity for the landowner to encourage them to allow use of their property by protecting them from ordinary negligence claims associated with recreational

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