# Rayonier Inc. v. United States

> Supreme Court of the United States · January 28, 1957 · 352 U.S. 315

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9421371

## Case

- **Full name:** Rayonier Incorporated v. United States
- **Court:** Supreme Court of the United States
- **Decided:** January 28, 1957
- **Citations:** 352 U.S. 315; 77 S. Ct. 374; 1 L. Ed. 2d 354; 1957 U.S. LEXIS 1412
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Dissent by Reed
- **Judges:** Black, Reed, Clark
- **Cited by:** 420 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9421371

## How later opinions describe it (automated extraction)

- stating that, as in all other cases in which the Federal Government claims immunity from suit in tort, when the performance of a uniquely governmental function gave rise to the claimed harm, the court must simply determine "whether a private person would be responsible for sim…
- stating that a court must determine “whether a private person would be responsible for similar negligence under the laws of the State where the acts occurred”
- rejecting argument that the federal government’s liability should be determined by the liability of state and local firefighters
- rejecting argument that the federal government’s liability should be determined by the liabil ity of state and local firefighters

## Opinion text

Mr. Justice Reed,
with whom Mr. Justice Clark joins,
dissenting.
The Court of Appeals in my view correctly applied the law as to public fire fighters. Congress assumed liability “as a private individual under like circumstances.” The immunity of public bodies for injuries due to fighting fire was then well settled. Dalehite v. United States, 346 U. S. 15, 43 . Private organizations, except as community volunteers, for fire fighting were hardly known. The situation was like private military forces. Cf. Feres v. United States, 340 U. S. 135, 142 . Indian Towing Co. v. United States, 350 U. S. 61 , presents a different situation.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9421371. Public record. Not legal advice.