Intentional Torts Flashcards
Assault
Intentional act that causes P reasonable apprehension of an immediate harmful or offensive contact.
D must desire to cause either the harm or the fear of harm.
Battery
Intentional act that causes harmful or offensive contact with P or with something closely connected to him.
D must either:
1. Desire to cause immediate harmful or offensive contact, or
2. Know such contact is substantially certain to occur.
False imprisonment
Intentional act that causes
1. P to be confined or restrained to a bounded area against his will,
2. Against his will,
3. P knows of the confinement or is injured.
D desires to confine or knows confinement is virtually certain.
False imprisonment methods
- Use of physical barriers
- Failing to release P when D has duty to do so,
- Invalid assertion of legal authority.
- no time limit.
- no confinement if there is a clear way out.
Intentional infliction of emotional distress
Intentional or reckless act amounting to extreme and outrageous conduct that causes P severe mental distress.
D has intent to cause or negligent in Creating the risk.
Extreme and outrageous conduct
Beyond the bounds of decency.
Conduct that a civilized society will not tolerate.
Severe mental distress
More than a reasonable person is expected to endure.
Intention distress- TP
When Ds conduct is direct at TP, liable to P if:
1. Immediate family member, P present and D knows P is there. Or
2. P can be non relative too of there is bodily harm.
Must be actual damages.
Trespass to land
Intentional physical invasion of Ps land.
D has intent to be there, even if he does not realize he crossed a boundary.
Mistake is not a defense.
P must have right of possession.
Liable for nominal damages even if no injury.
Trespass to chattels
Intentional act that interferes with Ps chattels causing harm.
Interference means meddling. Less serious than conversion.
* mistake is not a defense.
* must be actual damage.
Conversion
Intentional act that cause the destruction of or serious and substantial interference with Ps chattels.
Or exercise by D of dominion or control over Ps chattels.
Longer time and more serious interference than trespass to chattels.
Privilege
- Person affected consents.
- An important personal or public interest will be protected by the Ds conduct, and it justifys the conducts,
- Ds must act freely in order to Perform ones essential function.
Consent
Defense to intentional tort aS long as Not exceed scope or duration.
Consent found without actual consent when:
1. Emergency necessary to prevent death or injury.
2. A reasonable person would consent and
3. There is no reason to think P would not consent.
Self defense
Defense that used degree of force reasonably necessary to avoid the harm threatened by P.
can’t use it when threat has been averted.
Available if a reasonable person in sane circumstances would have believed she was under attack.
Defense of others
D can defend TP to extent TP would legally be able to defend them self.
Majority rule: mistake of need to defend or degree of force prevent use of this defense.