Davis v. State

In Davis v. State (1998), 51 Ill.Ct.Cl. 214, the Court found the State negligent for failing to provide proper supervision and training in the operation of wood shop machinery and tools. Id. at 218. Judge Jann, writing for the Court in Davis, stated that orally giving inmates a list of do's and don'ts is a poor substitute for proper training and written instructions on using machinery which has the capability of being dangerous to life and limb. Id. at 218. The Davis Court, in stating that it must consider the conditions under which an inmate acts in the face of known danger to determine whether any fault should be assessed to him, found the inmate to be contributory negligent in the amount of 40 percent. Id at 218.