Tennessee’s Tort Liability Act May Save High School Football Coach from Any Legal Responsibility Involving the ‘Clotheslining Incident’

By Robert J. Romano, JD, LLM, St. John’s University, Senior Writer On May 1, 2023, high school football referee, Trae Cardwell, filed suit against the Metropolitan Government of Nashville, Davidson County, and the head coach of the Hunters Lane High School football team, William Thomas, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division. Per his two-count complaint, Mr. Cardwell claims that both the Metropolitan Government of Nashville, together with the Cou