Smith v. Rudolph

**139*994This appeal requires us to determine whether there is a right to a jury trial in an action **140brought pursuant to General Statutes § 52-556,1 which waives sovereign immunity for claims arising from a state employee's negligent operation of a state owned motor vehicle. The named plaintiff, Anthony Smith,2 commenced this action, pursuant to § 52-556, against the defendant Department of Transportation,3 seeking damages stemming from an accident that occurred when a bus owned and operated by the state collided with a vehicle that the plaintiff was driving. After the plaintiff claimed…