Tort Law Flashcards
Tort
Civil wrong, not arising from a breach of contract, society compensates those who have suffered injuries as a result of the wrongful conduct of others, idv. vs. idv.
Damages
Money sought as a remedy for a breach of contract or a tortious (wrongful) act
Damage
Refers to actual harm done
Class-Action Lawsuit
Suit in which a number of persons join together to bring an action
Defenses
Reason offered by the defendant as to why the plaintiff should not recover or establish what they seek
Liability
Legally responsible for something
Intentional Tort
Wrongful act knowingly committed, Act, Intent, Causation, Damage
Tortfeasor
One who commits a tort
Assault
Any word or action intended to make another person fearful of immediate physical harm or cause apprehension
Battery
Completion of the act that caused apprehension, if it results in harm, intentional touching of another
How to determine if touching is offensive
Reasonable person standard
False Imprisonment
Intentional confinement of another person without justification
Defamation
Anything published or publicly spoken that causes injury to another’s good name, reputation, or character, also false statements about products, businesses, or titles to property
Libel
Defamation in written form
Slander
Defamation in oral form
4 Parts Necessary to Establish Defamation
1) must have been a false statement of fact (not just a negative opinion)
2) Was understood to be about the plaintiff and tended to harm plaintiff’s reputation
3) Statement was published to at least one person other than the plaintiff
4) If plaintiff is public figure must prove actual malice
Is a person who repeats or republishes defamatory statements also liable?
yes
Privilege
Immunity from liability for an action that would otherwise be a tort (Judge or attorney in court have privilege), defense against defamation charge
Actual Malice
Defamatory statement made about a public figure with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard for truth
Tort of Appropriation
Act of invasion of the right to privacy, use of a person’s name, picture, or other likeness for commercial purposes without permission
Invasion of the home
Act of invasion of the right to privacy, invasion into an individual’s affairs or seclusion in an area where the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy
Invasion of privacy in publication
Act of invasion of the right to privacy, publication of info that places a person in a false light (saying something they didn’t do), crosses towards defamation
Public Disclosure of Private Facts
Act of invasion of the right to privacy, public disclosure of public facts about a private individual that an ordinary person would find objectable
Fraudulent Misrepresentation
Misstatement or by omission of a material fact, knowingly made with the intention of deceiving another and on which a reasonable person would/does detriment