February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 33

free of charge has no assurance that
the property is safe for recreational
purposes. While the public landowner owes " no duty of care with respect
to the condition of the property, " the
RUS does provide for landowner liability for an injury attributable to
" willful or wanton misconduct. "
In opposing the city's motion for
summary judgment, if provided an
opportunity at trial, Gatlin claimed
the complaint had alleged sufficient
facts to establish willful and wanton
misconduct by the city in maintaining the park and the playground area.
According to the state supreme
court, " proof of willful or wanton misconduct can be difficult. " Unlike mere
carelessness or unreasonable behavior
that characterizes ordinary negligence,
willful wanton misconduct requires

	

proof of a level of recklessness that
demonstrates an utter disregard for
the physical well-being of others tantamount to intent to injure.
While proving willful and wanton
misconduct might be difficult, applying the judicial standard of review
for a summary judgment, the state
supreme court found Gatlin was " entitled to present her case. "
Based upon the reasonable inferences
that could be drawn from the evidence
submitted on summary judgment, the
trier of fact (i.e., jury) could conclude
that the city had knowledge of the danger of children falling on hard surfaces
in the park and knowledge of the steps
that could be taken to reduce that risk.
The determination of whether that rises
to the level of willful or wanton misconduct should be decided at trial.

Accordingly, the state supreme court
reversed the summary judgment of
the trial court in favor of the city and
remanded the case for further proceedings. As a result, Gatlin would have the
opportunity to proceed to trial. That
being said, in light of the city's playground maintenance policy described
above, Gatlin might have a difficult
time in demonstrating the level of " utter disregard " necessary to establish
the requisite willful and wanton misconduct for liability under the state recreational use statute.
James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D., is an
attorney and Associate Professor in the
School of Recreation, Health and Tourism at
George Mason University (jkozlows@gmu.
edu). Webpage with link to Law Review
articles archive (1982 to present): http://
mason.gmu.edu/~jkozlows.

W W W. N R PA . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 5 |

Parks & Recreation

31



February 2015 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2015 - Parks & Recreation

February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 1
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 2
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 3
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 4
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 5
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 6
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 7
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 8
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 9
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 10
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 11
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 12
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 13
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 14
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 15
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 16
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 17
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 18
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 19
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 20
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 21
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 22
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 23
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 24
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 25
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 26
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 27
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 28
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 29
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 30
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 31
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 32
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 33
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 34
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 35
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 36
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 37
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 38
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 39
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 40
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 41
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 42
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 43
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 44
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 45
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 46
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 47
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 48
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 49
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 50
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 51
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 52
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 53
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 54
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 55
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 56
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 57
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 58
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 59
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 60
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 61
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 62
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 63
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 64
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 65
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 66
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 67
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 68
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 69
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 70
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 71
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 72
February 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 73
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com