Torts Flashcards
Elements: Intentional Torts w/ Physical Injury (3)
- Act
- Intent
- Causation
Define: Intent (2)
- Actor acts with the purpose of causing the consequence; or
- The actor knows that the consequence is substantially certain to follow
Intent - Children / Mentally Incompetent
May be held liable if acted with requisite intent
Transferred Intent (3 Scenarios)
Applies when:
Different Tort vs Same Person
Same Tort vs Different Person
Different Tort vs Different Person
Battery (2)
- Defendant causes harmful or offensive contact ; and
2. Acts with intent to cause contact or the apprehension of that contact
Define: Battery - Causation
Act must result in contact
Define: Harmful
Causes injury, illness, pain
Define: Offensive
Objective Test
Offensive - Hypersensitivity
Conduct may be judged offensive to hypersensitive person if defendant knew of the hypersensitivity
Battery - Contact
May be direct, but could be contact of things attached to plaintff’s person
May also be indirect regarding having an ice bucket fall on someone
Battery - Intent
The contact must be intentional, not the offense
Battery - Transferred Intent?
Yes, applies to Battery
Battery - Damages (2)
No proof of harm is required, Nominal Damages may be recoverable
May also recover physical damages
Battery - Punitive Damages
May be available if defendant acted outrageously or with malice
Egg Shell Plaintiff
Defendant is liable for all harm flowing from battery, even if unforeseen
Battery - Consent Defense
Affirmative defense if there is express or implied consent
Implied –> eg athletic competitions
Define: Assault (2)
Defendant engages in an act that:
- Causes reasonable apprehension of an imminent harmful or offensive bodily contact; and
- Defendant intends to cause apprehension of such contact or to cause such contact itself
Assault - Contact?
Not required
Assault - Plaintiff’s Apprehension
Must be reasonable
Plaintiff must be aware of defendant’s action
Assault - Imminent
Must be without significant delay
Threat of future harm is insufficient
Mere Words
May constitute assault if defendant can carry out threat imminently and takes action designed to put plaintiff in state of apprehension
Assault - Intent (2)
Defendant must intend to cause either:
- An apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive conduct; or
- The contact itself
Assault - Damages
May recover nominal damages - no proof of physical harm required
Physical and punitive damages also available
IIED
Defendant intentionally or recklessly engages in extreme and outrageous conduct that causes the plaintiff severe emotional distress
IIED - Intent (2)
Defendant must
- Intend to cause severe emotional distress; or
- Act with recklessness as to the risk of causing severe emotional distress
IIED - Extreme / Outrageous
Conduct that exceeds the possible limits of human decency as to be intolerable in a civilized society
IIED - Extreme / Outrageous - Examples
- When a person is in a position or power or authority
2. If there is a group that has heightened sensitivity (children / elderly)
IIED - Public Figures
Public figures cannot recover IIED unless:
- Statement was false; and
- Made with actual malice
IIED - Actual Malice
Reckless disregard for the truth
IIED - Public Plaintiffs Bar to Recovery
Public concern exception
Plaintiffs cannot recover IIED damages if what is being discussed is of public concern
IIED Transfer to Third Parties (3)
- Immediate Family
- Bystander
- Different Intentional Tort
IIED - Immediate Family
Immediate family who is present at the time of the conduct may recover
Does not require physical injury
IIED - Bystander
May recover if present at the time of the conduct, perceives the conduct
Requires physical injury
IIED - Different Intentional Tort
May recover for IIED if a person commits a different intentional tort to one person in the presence of another
IIED - Causation
Defendant’s action must be cause in fact of plaintiff’s harm
IIED - Damages
Must prove severe emotional distress beyond what a reasonable person should endure
Physical injury not required
Hypersensitivity liability only with knowledge
Elements: False Imprisonment (3)
- Defendant intends to confine or restrain another within fixed boundaries;
- The actions directly or indirectly result in confinement; and
- Plaintiff is conscious of the confinement or harmed by it
False Imprisonment - Bounded Area
Areas can be large
Areas need no be stationary
False Imprisonment - Methods of Confinement (6)
- Physical barriers
- Physical Force
- Threats
- Invalid invocation of legal authority
- Duress
- Refusing to provide safe means of escape
False Imprisonment - Duty Breach
Court may find false imprisonment when defendant has refused to perform a duty to help a person escape
False Imprisonment - Shopkeeper’s Privilege
Shopkeeper’s may detain a suspected shoplifted for a reasonable time in a reasonable manner
False Imprisonment - Time of Confinement
Immaterial
False Imprisonment - Intent (2)
Defendant must act:
- With purpose of confining plaintiff; or
- Knowing that the plaintiff’s confinement is substantially certain to result
Confinement due to Negligence
Defendant is not liable under intention tort of false imprisonment
False Imprisonment - Damages
Nominal and Actual damages available
Intentional Torts - Defense (6)
- Consent
- Self-Defense
- Defense of Others
- Defense of Property
- Parental Discipline
- Privilege of Arrest
Intentional Torts - Consent (2)
- Express
2. Implied
Intentional Torts - Express Consent
Plaintiff, by words of actions, manifest willingness to submit to defendant’s conduct
Defendant’s conduct may not exceed scope of consent
Intentional Torts Defense - Consent by Mistake / Fraud
Consent by Mistake - valid defense unless defendant caused the mistake or knew of it and took advantage
Consent by Fraud - invalid defense if fraud goes to essential matter; valid if collateral matter
Intentional Torts Defense - Implied Consent (3)
Plaintiff is silent (or otherwise nonresponsive) where their silence and continued participation can reasonably be construed as consent
- Emergencies
- Athletic Contest
- Mutual Assent to Combat
Intentional Torts Defense - Consent Capacity
Incapacity may weaken validity of consent
- Youth
- Intoxication
- Mental
Intentional Torts Defense - Self-Defense (4)
Use of reasonable force - proportionate force to defend against offensive contact or bodily harm
Duty to Retreat
Initial Aggressor
Injuries to Bystanders
Intentional Torts Defense - Duty to Retreat
- May use deadly force after retreat
2. Usually may use proportionate force without retreating
Intentional Torts Defense - Initial Aggressor
May not claim self-defense unless deadly force is used against them in retaliation
Intentional Torts Defense - Injuries to Bystanders
Person acting in self-defense is not liable for injuries to bystanders if injury is accidental and the actor was not negligent toward the bystander
Intentional Torts Defense - Defense of Property (4)
- Reasonable Force - permitted if person reasonably believes it necessary to prevent tortious harm to the property
2a. Deadly Force - cannot be used
2b. Can never use mechanical traps
3a. May use reasonable force to reclaim property wrongfully taken - must ask for it back first
3b. If lawfully taken, must only use peaceful means to reclaim property - Force to reclaim land
Common Law - reasonable force
Modern Rule - peaceful means only
Intentional Torts Defense - Parental Discipline
Reasonable force permitted to discipline children
Intentional Torts Defense - Privilege of Arrest (2)
- Private Citizen
2. Police
Intentional Torts Defense - Arrest - Citizen
Reasonable force permitted in the case of felony if:
- Felony was actually committed; and
- Arresting party has reasonable grounds to suspect that person committed the felony
Intentional Torts Defense - Arrest - Citizen - Mistakes
Mistake OK - identity of felon
Mistake Not OK - if a felony was committed
Intentional Torts Defense - Arrest - Police
Must reasonably believe that a felony has been committed and that the person arrested
committed it
Intentional Torts Defense - Arrest - Police - Mistakes
Mistake OK - if felony was committed
Misdemeanor Arrest - Citizen
Only if there is breach of the peace
Misdemeanor Arrest - Police
Only is misdemeanor has been committed in their presence
Trespass to Chattels
Intentional interference with plaintiff’s right to possess personal property by:
- Dispossessing plaintiff of chattel;
- Using or intermeddling with the plaintiff’s chattel; or
- Damaging the chattel
Trespass to Chattels - Intent
Requires intent to do the interfering acts; not required to intend to interfere
Mistake is not valid defense
Trespass to Chattels - Damages
Recover Actual Damages - damages resulting from the loss of use or cost of repair
Conversion
Intentionally committing an act depriving the plaintiff of possession of their chattel in a manner so serious as to deprive the plaintiff entirely of the use of that chattel
Conversion - Intent
Defendant must only intend to commit the act that interferes
Mistake invalid
Conversion - Damages
Plaintiff can recover the chattel’s full value at time of conversion
Trespass to Chattels vs Conversion (5)
Courts consider:
- Duration and extent of interference
- Defendant’s intent to assert a right inconsistent with the rightful possessor
- Defendant’s good faith
- Expense of inconvenience to plaintiff
- Extent of the harm
Trespass to Land
Defendant intentionally causes a physical invasion of someone’s land
Trespass to Land - Intent
Defendant must have intent to enter the land or cause the physical invasion
Intent to commit wrongful trespass not required
Mistake invalid
Trespass to Land - Physical Invasion
Include causing objects to invade the land
Trespass to Land vs Nuisance
Nuisance - May or may not involve physical intrusion
Trespass - Always includes physical intrusion
Trespass to Land - Rightful Plaintiff
Anyone in possession of property can bring action, not just an owner
Trespass to Land - Damages
No proof of actual damages required
Trespass to Land - Necessity Defense
Available to a person who enters land of another or interferes with an individual’s personal property to prevent an injury or other severe harm
Trespass to Land - Private Necessity Defense
Defendant must pay for actual damages caused
D not liable for nominal damages
Landowner may not use force to exclude the person
Trespass to Land - Public Necessity Defense
Occurs when private property is destroyed when necessary to protect a large number of people from public calamities
No liability for damages
Nuisance - Private
Activity that substantially and unreasonably interferes with another’s use and enjoyment of land
Nuisance - Private - Interference (4)
Unreasonable interference:
- Annoying to the ordinary objective person
- Hypersensitive people may not have cause of action
- Someone who is not actually bothered may still have an action
4 Interference vs Utility
Not Nuisance
Blocking sunlight or obstructing view not considered nuisance
Spite wall exception
Nuisance - Private - Defense (4)
- Regulatory compliance, not complete defense - subject to reasonable evidence
- Coming to the nuisance - not complete defense
Nuisance - Public
Unreasonable interference with a right common to the public as a whole
Nuisance - Public - Public Official
Can bring action on behalf of the public to abate nuisance
Nuisance - Public - Private Citizen
Generally cannot recover unless the individual has been harmed in a unique way, different than the public
Negligence (4)
Duty
Breach
Causation
Damages
Negligence - Duty
Obligation toward another
Negligence - Breach
Failure to honor obligation
Negligence - Causation
But For Cause AND Proximate Cause
Negligence - Damages
Loss suffered
Negligence - Is there Duty?
Duty of care is generally owed to all persons who may foreseeably be injured by D’s conduct
No duty to act affirmatively, even if the failure to act appears unreasonable
Scope of Duty - Foreseeability of Harm
Does not affirmatively create Duty
Scope of Duty - Foreseeability of Plaintiff
No liability to an unforeseeable plaintiff
Scope of Duty - Foreseeability of Plaintiff - Cardozo
Majority View
Duty is owed to a plaintiff only if the plaintiff is a member of the class of persons who might foreseeably be harmed by the conduct
Scope of Duty - Foreseeability of Plaintiff - Andrews
Minority View
Any time conduct can harm someone, there is a duty to everyone
Crime Victims
Considered foreseeable plaintiffs in certain circumstances
Affirmative Duty to Act - Rescuers
A person who comes to the aid of another; foreseeable victim
If initiating recuse, has duty of reasonable care in performance of aid or rescue
Affirmative Duty to Act - Placing Others in Peril
If you place another in peril, there is affirmative duty to act
Affirmative Duty to Act - Authority
A person with the ability and authority to control another has a duty to exercise reasonable control
Affirmative Duty to Act - Relationship
D has special relationship with plaintiff
Common Carrier / Passenger
Innkeeper / Guest
Negligence - Standard of Care
Objective Test
Reasonably prudent person under the circumstances
Negligence - Standard of Care - Mental / Emotional Characteristics
Objective Test
Defendant is presumed to have average mental abilities and knowledge
Negligence - Standard of Care - Physical Characteristics
Modified Standard
Defendant is compared to persons with like characteristics
Negligence - Standard of Care - Intoxication
Objective Standard
Drunks held to standard of sober
Unless involuntarily intoxicated
Negligence - Standard of Care - Children
Modified Standard
Reasonable child of similar age, intelligence, experience
Negligence - Standard of Care - Exception
Held to Modified Standard unless engaging in an adult activity
Negligence - Standard of Care - Common Carriers / Innkeepers
Traditional Rule - Utmost Care, elevated standard
Modern Rule - Liable for ordinary negligence
Negligence - Standard of Care - Automobile Drivers
Traditional Rule - Drivers liable only for grossly negligent, wanton, or willful misconduct
Modern Rule - Driver must act with Reasonable Care
Negligence - Standard of Care - Bailors / Bailees
Bailment - taking temporary possession of another’s property
Common Law:
- Bailor must warn gratuitous bailee of known dangerous conditions
- Bailee receives sole benefit, bailee has lesser duty
- If bailee receives benefit, then they have higher duty to care
Negligence - Standard of Care - Emergency Situations
Reasonable Person under the same circumstances
Negligence - Standard of Care - Possession of Land
Traditional Rule:
Invitee (Hi)
Licensee (Mid)
Trespasser (Lo)
California Rule:
Reasonable Care under the circumstances
Trespasser
Someone on land without consent or privilege
Trespasser - Duty of Care
Property owner must refrain from willful, wanton, intentional, or reckless misconduct
Trespasser - Duty of Care - Undiscovered Trespasser
No duty owed
Trespasser - Duty of Care - Discovered / Anticipated Trespasser
Warn and protect from hidden dangers
Trespasser - Duty of Care - Attractive Nuisance Doctrine (5)
May be liable for injuries to children trespassing on land if:
- An artificial condition exists in a place where the owner knows or has reason to know that children are likely to trespass
- Land possessor knows or has reason to know that the artificial condition poses an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily harm
- The children, because of age, do not discover or cannot appreciate the danger
- The utility of maintaining the condition is slight compared to the risk of injury
- The land possessor fails to exercise reasonable care
Trespasser - Duty of Care - Flagrant Trespasser
Lesser duty owed
Licensees
Enters land with express or implied permission
Licensees - Standard of Care
Duty to make property reasonably safe or warn licensees of concealed dangers
No duty to inspect property
Invitees
Someone who comes onto land for material or economic purpose
Invitee - Public
Land is held open to the public
Invitee - Business Visitor
For purpose connected to business dealings with possessor
Licensees - Standard of Care (3)
Reasonable care to:
- Inspect property;
- Discover unreasonably dangerous conditions; and
- Take reasonable steps to protect
Licensees - Standard of Care - Delegation?
Non-delegable duty
Standard of Care - California Rule
Reasonable care for all persons on property
Flagrant trespassers - only duty owed is not to act with intentional, willful, or wanton manner to cause physical harm
Standard of Care - Landlord / Tenant (3)
- Maintain safe common areas;
- Warn of hidden dangers; and
- Repair hazardous conditions
Off-Premises Victims
No liability for natural conditions
Trees in urban areas exception
Must prevent unreasonable risk or harm re: artificial conditions
Must exercise reasonable care in conducting activities on land
Negligence - Breach of Duty of Care (3)
Generally, violation of the relevant standard of care
Traditional Rule - Reasonable person standard
Cost Benefit Analysis - Hand Formula
Burden vs Probability of Harm x Severity of Loss
Negligence - Breach - Specific Rules - Custom
Generally admissible but not dispositive
Negligence - Breach - Specific Rules - Custom - Professionals
Custom is dispositive
Negligence - Breach - Specific Rules - Custom - Physicians
Traditional Rule - Physician in same or similar locality
Modern Trend - National standard
Negligence - Breach - Specific Rules - Custom - Physicians - Informed Consent
Patients must give informed consent
Negligence - Breach - Specific Rules - Custom - Physicians - Informed Consent Exceptions (5)
- Risks are common known
- Patient is unconscious
- Patient waives / refuses information
- Patient is incompetent
- Patient would be harmed by disclosure
Negligence - Breach - Statute (Negligence Per Se) (5)
- Law imposes duty for the protection and benefit of others
- Defendant violates said statute
- Plaintiff must be in the class of people intended to be protected by statute
- Accident must be the type that the statute was intended to protect against
- Harm was caused
Negligence - Breach - Statute - Breach by Plaintiff
Constitutes contributory or comparative negligence
Negligence - Breach - Compliance with Statute
You can be compliant and still negligent
Drive recklessly at the speed limit
Negligence - Breach - Excuse
- Compliance with the statute may be more dangerous
- Compliance was impossible, emergency
- Incapacity
Negligence - Res Ipsa Loquitor
Infer negligence from circumstantial evidence
Negligence - Res Ipsa Loquitor - Traditional Rule (3)
- Accident was the kind that does not ordinarily occur in the absence of negligence
- Caused by agent or instrumentality in the exclusive control of the hotel
- Was not due to any action on part of the Plaintiff
Negligence - Medical Malpractice
When medical personnel act negligently to harm a patient, some Jxs will hold all Ds jointly nd severally liable unless they can exonerate
Negligence - Products Liability
Courts ignore exclusivity requirement when the defect clearly originated upstream of the package’s wrapping
Negligence - Comparative Fault Jx
Only loosely apply third element
Negligence - Third Restatement (2)
- Accident is the type of accident that ordinarily happens as a result of negligence of a class of actors
- Defendant is a member of that class
Res Ipsa - Procedural Effect (3)
Allows the case to go to a jury
Avoids directed verdict in defendant’s favor
Jury can infer negligence, but not required to
Negligence - Cause in Facts (2)
- But For Case
2. Proximate Cause
Negligence - But For Cause
But For Test - Plaintiff must show that the injury would not have occurred but for the defendant’s negligence
Negligence - Causation - Multiple Tortfeasors / Possible Causes (3)
- Substantial Factor Test
- Alternative Causation
- Concert of Action
Negligence - Causation - Multiple Tortfeasors / Possible Causes - Substantial Factor Test
Whether D’s conduct was substantial factor in causing harm
Negligence - Causation - Multiple Tortfeasors / Possible Causes - Alternative Causation
Shift burden to D’s to exonerate themselves
Negligence - Causation - Multiple Tortfeasors / Possible Causes - Concert of Action
If two D’s are acting together to cause harm, both will be held jointly and severally liable
Negligence - Causation - Lost Chance of Recovery
Traditional Rule - Under 50% chance of survival, no liability since patient may die anyway
Rule - If physician negligently reduces the plaintiff’s survival, plaintiff can recover lost chance of recovery
Negligence - Causation - Proximate Cause
Legal Causation
Person is liable for the risks that made the conduct negligent - issue is whether the injury has occurred was within the scope of the defendant’s breach
Negligence - Proximate Cause - Foreseeability of Harm
Majority Rule - no liability for unforeseeable harm
Intervening Cause
Do not break causal chain
Superseding Cause
Will break causal chain
Third Party Criminal Acts
May break causal chain, but may not if they are deemed foreseeable
Negligence - Proximate Cause - Extent of Damages
Egg Shell P Rule
Negligence Damages (4)
- Actual / Compensatory Damages
- Mitigation Damages
- Personal Injury
- Property Damage
Negligence Damages - Actual / Compensatory Damages
Make P whole again
Physical injury
May also recover parasitic damage if suffer emotional damages
Negligence Damages - Mitigation Damages
P must take steps to mitigate damages
Negligence Damages - Personal Injury
May recover:
- Medical expenses, both past and future
- Lost income, reduced earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, past / future
Negligence Damages - Property Damages
P may recover the difference in the market value of the property before and after the injury
Collateral Source Rule - Traditional Rule
Benefits or payments to P from outside sources are not credited against liability of any D
Evidence of such payments are not admissible at trial
Collateral Source Rule - Modern Rule
Most states not have statutes that modify collateral source rules to avoid double recovery
Negligence Damages - Punitive Damages
Punish and deter future conduct
May be available if D acted willfully, wantonly, recklessly, or with malice; or if an inherently malicious tort is involved
SCOTUS - must be within 1x - 9x
Negligence - Pure Emotional Harm - NIED - Traditional Rule
P could not recover absent physical injury
Negligence - Pure Emotional Harm - NIED - Modern Rule (4)
May recover now:
- Zone of Danger
- Bystander Recovery
- Special Relationship
- Physical Manifestation
Negligence - Pure Emotional Harm - NIED - Zone of Danger (2)
May recover if:
- Plaintiff is within zone of danger of the threatened physical impact; and
- threat of physical impact caused emotional distress
Negligence - Pure Emotional Harm - NIED - Bystander Recovery (3)
May recover if:
- Bystander is closely related to the person injured;
- Was present at scene of injury; and
- Personally observed the injury
Negligence - Pure Emotional Harm - NIED - Special Relationship
Eg:
Negligent handling of loved one’s corpse
Negligent medical information (misdiagnosis)
Negligence - Pure Emotional Harm - NIED - Physical Manifestation
Most Jxs require some physical manifestation of distress (nausea, insomnia, miscarriage)
Negligence - Pure Economic Loss
P who suffers only economic loss without any related personal injury or property damage cannot recover under negligence theory
Negligence - Wrongful Death
Brought by decedent’s spouse or representative to recover losses suffered by spouse or rep
Marital consortium
Negligence - Survival Action
Brought by representative of decedent’s estate on behalf of decedent for claims that the decedent would have had at the time of death
Negligence - Recovery for Loss Arising from Injury to Family Members
Family members can typically claim loss of companionship or consortium
Wrongful Life Action
Claim by a child for D’s negligent failure to properly perform a contraceptive procedure or diagnose a congenital defect
Damages usually limited to special damages attributable to child’s disability
Wrongful Birth Action
Claim by parents for D’s negligent failure to properly perform a contraceptive procedure or diagnose congenital defect
Child with disability - may be able to recover for damages for additional medical expenses for caring for that child, sometimes recover emotional distress
Negligence - Vicarious Liability
When one person is held liable for another’s negligence
Negligence - Joint and Several Liability
Responsible party can still be held negligent, but so is there employer
Negligence - Indemnification
Party held vicariously liable may seek indemnification from the party who was directly responsible
Negligence - Respondeat Superior
Employers are held vicariously liable for the negligence of an employee within the scope of their employment
Negligence - Respondeat Superior - Intentional Torts
Employers are generally not liable for the intentional torts of their employees unless the tort is within the scope of their employment or benefits the employer
Negligence - Respondeat Superior - Frolick
Frolick - Major deviation from scope of employment
Employer NOT liable
Negligence - Respondeat Superior - Detour
Minor deviation from scope of employment
Employer liable
Torts Committed by Independent Contractors
Employers generally not liable for those torts
Torts Committed by Independent Contractors - Exception
If employer retains ability to control how someone works, the controlled party will be treated as an employee
Vicarious Liability - Independent Contractors (2)
- Non-delegable Duties
2. Apparent Agency Doctrine
Vicarious Liability - Independent Contractors - Non-Delegable Duty (2)
- Inherently dangerous activities
- Duties to the public or specific plaintiffs for certain types of work;
- Shopkeepers have duty to keep premises safe for the public
Vicarious Liability - Independent Contractors - Apparent Agency Doctrine
Independent Contractor will be treated as an employee if:
- Injured person accepted the IC’s services based on reasonable belief that the IC was an employee, based on manifestations from that employee; and
- The IC’s negligence is a factual cause of harm to one who receives the services, and such harm is within the scope of liability
Vicarious Liability - Business Partners
Can be liable for torts of other business partners committed within the scope of the business’s purpose
Vicarious Liability - Automobile Owners (3)
- Negligent Entrustment
- Family Purpose Doctrine
- Owner Liability Statutes
Vicarious Liability - Automobile Owners - Negligent Entrustment
Owner may be directly liable for negligently entrusting a vehicle to someone who is not in position to care for it
Vicarious Liability - Automobile Owners - Family Purpose Doctrine
Owner may be vicariously liable for the tortious acts of family members driving the car with permission
Vicarious Liability - Automobile Owners - Owner Liability Statutes
Owner may be vicariously liable for the tortious acts of anyone driving the car with permissions
Vicarious Liability - Parents and Children
Parents are generally not vicariously liable for their minor children’s torts
Vicarious Liability - Negligence of Parents
Parents can be liable for their own negligence with respect to their children’s conduct
Vicarious Liability - Dram Shop
Bar owners, bartenders, social hosts liable for injuries caused when people drink too much alcohol and injure others
Direct liability for server’s negligence in serving
Immunities - Federal Government - Traditional Rule
State and federal governments are immune from tort liability
Immunities - Federal Government - Modern Rule
Federal Tort Claims Act - government may be sued for certain torts
Fed maintains immunity for enumerated torts, discretionary functions, and traditional government activities
Immunities - State Government
Immunity is generally waived
Government Functions (police, courts, teacher) - Immune
Proprietary Functions (private employment) - Immunity is waived
Immunities - Government Officials (3)
Discretionary Function - Immune
Ministerial Function - Waived
Intra-Family Immunities
Largely eliminated; a family member can be sued for negligently hurting another family member
Core Parenting - immunity still applies
Charitable Immunity
Eliminated
Joint / Several Liability
Two or more defendants are each liable for a single and indivisible harm to P;
Each D is subject to liability to P for the entire harm
P can recover all damages from any negligent party
Negligence Defenses (4)
- Contributory Negligence
- Comparative Fault
- Imputed Contributory Negligence
- Assumption of Risk
Negligence Recovery Frameworks (4)
- Contributory Negligence
- Comparative Fault
- Pure Comparative Negligence
- Modified Comparative Negligence
Contributory Negligence
P’s negligence is complete bar to recovery
Pure Comparative Negligence
P’s recovery is reduced by the amount they were negligent
Modified Comparative Negligence
P cannot recover if they are over 50% negligent
Last Clear Chance Doctrine
Allows negligent P to recover upon showing that the D had the last clear chance to avoid injuring P but failed to do so
Invalid defense for intentional torts
Multiple Ds - Modified Comparative Negligence
P’s negligence is compared to sum total of all D’s negligence
Imputed Contributory Negligence
One party’s negligence is imputed on another party
Imputed Contributory Negligence - Does Not Apply
- Child P whose parent’s negligence was a contributing cause of their harm, in a suit against a third party
- Married P whose spouse was contributorily negligent in causing the harm, in a suit against a third party
Assumption of the Risk
When a party knowingly and willingly embraces a risk for some purpose of their own
Express / Implied
Express Assumption of the Risk
Typically a contractual waiver
- Is the waiver clear?
- Is the waiver enforceable?
Exculpatory Clauses - Unenforceable (5)
- Waiver disclaims liability for reckless or wanton misconduct
- There is gross disparity in bargaining power
- Party seeking to enforce provision offers services of great importance to the public
- Provision is subject to contract defenses
- Enforcement would be against public policy
Implied Assumption of the Risk
- Participants in and spectators of athletic events
2. Unreasonably proceeding in the face of known, specific risk
Unreasonably proceeding in the face of known, specific risk
- Contributory Negligence Jx - total bar to recovery
2. Comparative Fault Jx - merged into comparative fault analysis and reduces recovery
Strict Liability (3)
D is liable no matter how careful they were
- Abnormally Dangerous Activities
- Wild Animals
- Defective Products
Abnormally Dangerous Activities
D engaged in an abnormally dangerous activity is strictly liable for personal injuries or property damage resulting
Abnormally Dangerous Activities - Factors (4)
- Foreseeable and highly significant risk of harm even when there is due care;
- Severity of the harm resulting from the activity;
- Appropriateness of the location;
- Value to community
Abnormally Dangerous Activities - Scope of Liability
D is liable for the harms that flow from the risk that made the activity dangerous
Wild Animals
Species or class that are not customarily kept in the service of humankind
Wild Animals - Scope (2)
- Dangerous Propensity - strictly liable for their dangerous propensities
- Injuries caused to licensees and invitees - strict
Trespassers - not strictly liable
Domestic animals
If the owner knows the animal to be dangerous or has reason to know or dangerous propensities, owner is strictly liable
Trespassing Animals
Owner of any animal is strictly liable for reasonably foreseeable damage caused by their animal while trespassing on another’s land
Strict Liability - Defenses (3)
Contributor Negligence - Not full bar
Comparative Negligence -
Assumption of Risk - full bar
Products Liability - Claims (3)
- Negligence
- Strict Liability for Defective Products
- Breach of Warranty
Products Liability - Strict Liability Claims (3)
- Manufacture Defects
- Design Defect
- Failure to Warn
Products Liability - Strict Liability Claim Elements (3)
- Product was defective;
- Defect existed when product left D’s control; and
- Defect caused P’s injury when product was used in foreseeable manner
Manufacturing Defect (2)
- Product deviated from its intended design
2. Product was not conform to manufacturer’s own specs
Design Defect - Consumer Expectation Test
Consumer Expectation test - product is defected in design if it is less than the ordinary consumer would expect
Design Defect - Risk Utility Test
Risk Utility Test - Product’s design risks outweigh benefits
Must show reasonable alternative
Failure to Warn
Liability if a foreseeable risk that is not obvious to an ordinary consumer is overlooked by manufacturer
Failure to Warn - Learned Intermediary
Manufacturer of prescription drugs must warn the prescribing physician
Failure to Warn - Inference of Defect
Courts may allow proof of defect through circumstantial evidence if the defect causes the product to be destroyed
Product Liability - Plaintiffs
No privity requirement
Anyone foreseeable injured by a defective product - purchasers, other users, bystanders
Product Liability - Defendants
Anyone who sells the product when it is defective is potentially strictly liable
Casual sellers are exempt but may be liable for negligence
Seller may seek indemnification
Products Liability - Strict Liability - Damages
Available: Personal injury or property damage
Pure economic loss generally not permissible
Products Liability - Strict Liability - Defenses (8)
Contributory Neg - Usually unavailable
Comparative Neg - will reduce recovery
Assumption of Risk - full bar if P knew of the risks and voluntarily carried on
Misuse, Modification, Alteration - May recover so long as the alteration was foreseeable
Substantial Change in Product - full bar
Compliance with Gov Standards - admissible, not dispositive to reduce
State of the Art - complete bar
Disclaimers, Limitations, Waivers - generally does not bar recovery
Products Liability - Strict Liability - Warranties
May be brought up and down the distribution chain
Privity not required
Products Liability - Strict Liability - Implied Warranties (2)
- Merchantability - product is suitable for ordinary purposes for which it is sold
- Fitness for Particular Purpose - seller know the particular purpose for which the product is being sold, buyer relies
Products Liability - Strict Liability - Express Warranties
Affirmation of fact or promise by seller that is part of the basis of the bargain
Products Liability - Strict Liability - Warranties Defenses
- Defenses via contract
- Tort Defenses
Assumption of Risk
Comparative Fault
Contributory Negligence
Product Misuse
Defamation - Elements (4)
Generally, D:
- Made defamatory statement;
- That is of or concerning P
- Statement was published to a third party who understood its defamatory nature;
- P’s reputation is damaged
Defamatory Language
Language that diminishes respect, esteem, or good will toward P, or deters association with P
Defamatory Language - Falsity Requirement
The statement must be false in order to be actionable
Opinions are not actionable
Defamatory Language - Of or Concerning P
Objective Test
Reasonable person must believe that the defamatory language referred to this particular P
Groups may bring action only if the group is so small or the context can reasonably be understood to refer to member within the group
Defamatory Language - Publication
Statement must be communicated to a third party
People who disseminate may also be liable for defamation
Defamatory Language - Constitutional Requirements - Plaintiff Types (3)
- Public Official
- Public Figure
- Private Individuals
Defamatory Language - Constitutional Requirements - Plaintiff Types - Pubic Official
A person who has substantial responsibility or control over a government office, includes political candidates
Defamatory Language - Constitutional Requirements - Plaintiff Types - Pubic Figure (2)
- General Purpose Public Figure - a person of persuasive power and influence in society
- Limited Purpose Public Figure - a person who thrusts themselves into a particular public controversy
Defamatory Language - Constitutional Limitations - Public Officials / Figures
P must prove that the person who made the statement either knew that the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth
Defamatory Language - Constitutional Limitations - Private Individuals (2)
Matter of Public Concern - P must prove that the statement is false and that the person who made the statement was negligent
Not Public Concern - Unclear if constitutional limits apply; state need not require proof of negligence
Libel
Written, printed, or recorded statement
Slander -
Spoken statement
Libel - Damages
P may recover general damages without proof of measurable har
Slander - Damages
P must prove special damages (requires economic loss)
Slander Per Se (4)
- Commission of serious crime
- Unfitness for trade or profession
- Loathsome disease
- Severe sexual misconduct
Constitutional Limitations - Libel / Slander
Private Individuals - Matter of Public Concern: may recover actual damages unless they show actual malice, may then recover general damages
Private Individual Not of Public Concern - recover general damages without proving actual malice
Defamation - Defense (3)
- Truth
- Consent
- Privileges
Defamation - Defense - Trust
Absolute defense - kills element of defamation
Defamation - Defense - Consent
Absolute defense - consent, cannot sue
Defamation - Defense - Privileges (2)
- Absolute Privileges
2. Conditional Privileges
Defamation - Defense - Privileges - Absolute (4)
Speaker is immune if statements are made:
- In course of judicial proceeding;
- In the course of legislative proceedings;
- Between spouses; and
- Required publication by radio and TV
Defamation - Defense - Privileges - Conditional
Statement is made in good faith pursuant to some duty or responsibility
- Interest of defendant
- Interest of the recipient of the statement
- Affecting some important public interest
Invasion of Privacy (3)
- Applies to people, not companies
- Typically terminates upon death of P
- Includes four separate causes of action
Invasion of Privacy Actions - Intrusion Upon Seclusion
D intrudes upon P’s private affairs in a manner that is objectionable to the reasonable person
Invasion of Privacy Actions - False Light (3)
- D makes public statement about P
- Places P in false light,
- Is highly offensive to a reasonable person
Invasion of Privacy Actions - Appropriate of the Right to Publicity (3)
- Someone appropriates another’s name or likeness
- For D’s advantage without D’s consent
- Causes injury
Invasion of Privacy Actions - Public Disclosure of Private Facts
- D publishes a matter concerning the private life of another; and
- The matter is publicized in highly offensive matter to reasonable person; and
- Is not a legitimate concern to the public
Invasion of Privacy Actions - Damages
P need not prove special damages
Emotional or mental distress sufficient
Invasion of Privacy Actions - Defenses (3)
- Qualified / Absolute Privilege - Applicable to False Light / Public Disclosure
Consent - applicable to Invasion of Privacy torts
Truth - Invalid defense to Privacy torts
Intentional (Fraudulent) Misrepresentation (6)
- False Representation
- Scienter
- Intent
- Causation
- Justifiable Reliance
- Damages
Intentional Misrepresentation - False Representation (4)
- Must be about a material fact
- Can involve deceptive or misleading statements
- Can arise through concealing a material fact
4a. No duty to disclose material facts to other parties
4b. May have duty if:
- There is a fiduciary relationship
- The other party is likely to be misled by statements the D made earlier; or
- D is aware that he other party is mistaken about the basic facts of the transaction and custom suggests that disclosure should be made
Intentional Misrepresentation -Scienter
D has to know that the representation is false or acts with reckless disregard for the truth
Intentional Misrepresentation - Intent
D must intend to induce P to act in reliance on the misrep
Intentional Misrepresentation - Causation
Misrep must have caused P to act or refrain from acting
Intentional Misrepresentation - Justifiable Reliance
Reliance is not justifiable if the facts are obviously false or clear that D was stating an opinion
Intentional Misrepresentation - Damages (4)
P must prove actual, economic, pecuniary loss
Nominal damages generally unavailable
Majority - recovery is “benefit of the bargain” delta actual value vs value received had the misrep been true
Minority - only allow out of pocket expenses
Negligent Misrepresentation (4)
- D provided false information to P
- P relies on D’s negligence
- During course of business
- P is in contractual relationship with D or P is third party known by D to be a member of a limited group for whose benefit the information is supplied
Negligent Misrepresentation - Defenses
Negligence defenses may be raised
Negligent Misrepresentation - Damages
P can recover reliance (out of pocket damages) and consequential damages if negligent rep is proven
Intentional Interference with Contract (4)
- Valid contract existed between P and a third party (cannot be at-will);
- D knew of this contractual relationship;
- D intentionally interfered with contract, resulting in breach; and
- Damages result
Intentional Interference with Contract - Interference
Interference must prevent fulfillment of obligation or substantially add to the burden of performance
D’s conduct must exceed bounds of fair competition
Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage
D intentionally interferes with prospective business relationship or benefit b/t plaintiff and third party
No contract in place
Conduct must be wrongful
Misappropriation of Trade Secrets (3)
- P owns information that is not generally known
- P has taken reasonable precautions to protect information;
- D acquires secret by improper means
Injurious Falsehoods (2)
- Trade Libel
2. Slander of Title
Trade Libel (5)
- Publication;
- False or derogatory statement
- With malice
- relating to P’s title to their business, quality of business, or quality of products;
- Causes special damages as a result
Slander of Title (6)
- Publication;
- Public statement
- Derogatory to P’s title
- With malice
- Causes special damages as a result
6, Diminishes vale in eyes of third parties
Malicious Prosecution
Institutes legal action for an improper purpose without probable cause
Abuse of Process
D sets in motion legal procedure in proper form but has abused it to achieve ulterior motive