Torts Flashcards
Types of intentional torts
- Assault;
- battery;
- False imprisonment;
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- trespass to land; or
- trespass to chattels
- Conversion
To establish a prima facie case of intentional torts what elements must the plaintiff prove?
- Act by defendant; 2. Intent (specific or general); 3. Causation
Transferred intent doctrine
Applies to intentional torts; Applies when defendant intends to commit tort A against person A but instead ... 1. Commits tort B against person A 2. Commits tort B against person B 3. Commits tort A against person B
In all these cases defense at intent will be transferred and he will be liable for whichever tort committed
Intentional tort: requisite “capacity” for intent?
Trick question! There is no requisite capacity for intent.
Minors and those who are mentally incompetent are liable for their intentional torts.
Incapacity is not a good defense
Intentional tort: battery
What are the primary facie element to show battery?
- Act by defendant: harmful contact or offensive contact
- To plaintiffs’ person (body, or anything connected to the body–clothing or purse)
- Intent (specific or general)
- Causation
Intentional tort: Assault
What are the elements to establish prima facie case of assault?
- Act by defendant creating reasonable apprehension in plaintiff
- Of immediate harmful or offensive contact to plaintiffs person (body or anything attached to body-clothing or purse)
- Intent (specific or general)
- Causation
Intentional tort: false imprisonment
What are the elements to establish a prima facie case for false imprisonment?
- Act or omission by defendant that confines or restrains plaintiff;
- To a bounded area (no reasonable means of escape known to plaintiff)
- Intent (specific or general)
- Causation
Intentional tort: false imprisonment
What are sufficient methods of confinement or restraint?
- Physical force
- Physical barriers
- Threats of force (immediate not future threats)
- Invalid use of legal authority
Ps moral pressure and future threats are not sufficient to prove this element of confinement or restraint
Intentional tort: Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
What are the elements to establish a prima facie case for intentional infliction of emotional distress?
- Act: extreme and outrageous conduct (conduct that transcends all bounds of decency)
- Intent or recklessnes
- Causation
- Damages–severe emotional distress
Which of the intentional torts to the person (personal injury harm) requires a showing of damages to establish a prima facie case?
And what type of damages must be shown?
Intentional infliction of emotional distress requires a showing of severe emotional distress
Intentional tort: intentional infliction of emotional distress
What is the causation in bystander cases?
Applies when Defendant causes physical harm to a third person and plaintiff suffers severe emotional distress
Plaintiff can recover by
- Showing prima facie elements of emotional distress or
- P was present when injury occurred; p is a close relative of the injured person; and the defendant knew p was present and closely related
Intentional tort: Trespass to Land
What are the prima facie elements to establish trespass to land?
- Physical invasion to plaintiffs real property by person or object (includes airspace and subterranean space)
- Intent (doesn’t require knowing land belonged to another)
- Causation
Intentional tort: Trespass to Chattels
What are the elements to establish a prima facie case for trespass to chattels?
- Act: interference with plaintiff’s right to possession
- Intent (not required to know item belonged to another)
- Causation
- Damages (directly damage item or cause dispossession of item from plaintiff)
Intentional tort: conversion
What are the elements to establish a prima facie case for conversion?
- Act: interference with plaintiff’s right of possession in a chattel (item of personal property)
- Interference is so serious that it warrant defendant paying the chattel’s full value
- Intent (not required to know item belonged to another)
- Causation
Intentional tort: Conversion
Which acts constitution conversion?
- Wrongful acquisition (theft)
- Wrongful transfer
- Wrongful detention
- Substantially changing, severely damaging or misusing a chattel.