Remedies Flashcards
Studying remedies
Order of analysis for remedies essays
First, determine any legal remedies.
Second, determine any restitutionary remedies (legal and equitable).
Third, determine any equitable remedies.
Tort remedies
Legal remedies: damages
Legal restitutionary remedies: any legal restitution, replevin, ejectment.
Equitable restitution: constructive trust/equitable lien.
Equitable remedies: injunctive relief.
Tort remedies: list three types of damages
(1) compensatory
(2) nominal
(3) punitive
Tort remedies: requirements re: compensatory damages
4 requirements:
(1) actual causation
(2) proximate causation
(3) certainty (damages not too speculative)
- PAST losses must be more certain than FUTURE (which must be more likely than not)
(4) unavoidability: P must take reasonable steps to mitigate
Tort remedies: requirements re: compensatory damages: ECONOMIC LOSSES
E.g., Medical expenses, lost earnings.
Basic certainty rules apply (past more certain than future; future more likely than not).
Tort remedies: requirements re: compensatory damages: NON-ECONOMIC LOSSES
E.g., pain and suffering
Basic certainty rules do NOT apply. Jury can award what it wants subject to proper jury instructions.
Tort remedies: requirements re: compensatory damages: FORM of the judgment payment
single lump sum discounted to present value, inflation traditionally NOT taken into account but the modern rule now DOES take inflation into account.
Tort remedies: nominal damages
P has suffered no actual injury, but P wants to sue to establish rights.
E.g., a suit over an easement.
Tort remedies: punitive damages: three basic rules
(1) CANNOT be alone, must be on top of another form of relief
(2) fault must be GREATER than negligence
(3) relative proportionality with single-digit ratios
Tort remedies: restitutionary remedies basic concept
To prevent D’s unjust enrichment
Tort remedies: “LEGAL” restitutionary remedies
Amount calculated based on benefit conferred to D
opposite of damages, which is calculated as harm to P
Tort remedies: can P recover both compensatory damages and legal restitution?
NO! But on essay analyze both and conclude that P would have larger amount of the two.
Tort remedies: can a P recover punitive damages on top of restitution damages?
Yes, but only for torts!
Can a P recover punitive damages on top of restitution damages?
Yes, but only for torts!
Tort remedies: replevin
A type of legal restitution
P recovers a specific piece of property, P must show:
(1) P has right to possession and
(2) there is a wrongful withholding by D.
* *same as for ejectment for real property
P can recover the chattel BEFORE trial, but P must
post bond. BUT D can then post a “redelivery bond” and then keep the chattel during trial.