Physical education and athletic staffs have numerous opportunities to become entangled in legal disputes. The information in this guide offers guidance for safer athletic programs and management of risk while reinforcing sound educational practice. The guide provides an overview of tort liability and negligence theory, followed by a discussion of various defenses employed by school districts and their employees when engaged in a lawsuit. Case summaries illustrate a wide variety of teacher/coach actions, as well as environmental and equipment conditions, that have been challenged in courts across the country. The case studies focus on practical applications of the law and suggest steps physical educators and coaches can take to deliver safer programs. Finally, the duties and responsibilities of physical educators, coaches, and other allied professionals are outlined emphasizing the duties and standard of care to which professional physical educators and coaches are held. Appendices provide a glossary of legal terms, additional cases of interest, and endnotes. (Contains 50 references.) (LL)