intentional tort by dr. tabrez ahmad associate professor of law kiit law school india

Dr. Tabrez AhmadAssociate Professor of Law

Monday, April 10, 2023 1Dr. Tabrez Ahmad,KLS, KIIT

Nature of a Tort:

Tort liability is imposed by law rather than voluntary assumed as is the case with contract liability.


When does a tort occur?There are 4 elements in a tort action:1. A duty to one person


2. The breach of that duty (either by doing something or failing to do something)


3. The breach must proximately cause the plaintiff’s injury

4. An injury to the plaintiff


What is an intentional act?An act is intentional where the actor:1. Intended the physical consequences of his/her act or


2. Knew, or should have known, that those

consequences were substantially certain to occur as a result of his/her conduct


Example:Bhaskar locks his shop at the end of the day. Unknown to Bhaskar, Kanad was in the restroom.


As a result, Kanad could not exit the store until Bhaskar returned the next day.


Has Bhaskar Committed a false imprisonment?

Why or why not?


Intentional Torts:1. Battery2. Assault3. False Imprisonment


4. Infliction of Emotional Distress5. Defamation6. Invasion of Privacy7. Trespass


8. Nuisance9. Trespass to Personal

Property10. Conversion11. Interference with Contractual Rights


12. Disparagement13. Fraudulent

Misrepresentation


Battery:A battery occurs where the defendant has intentionally caused an offensive touching upon an item which is physically associated with the plaintiff.


Prima facie defined: “At first look” – a claim “good on the face of it”

What does it mean? Why have such a

requirement?

Monday, April 10, 2023Dr. Tabrez Ahmad,KLS, KIIT 16

Moving party argues that the Complaint, assuming factual allegations to be true, fails to state a valid legal claim

Facts extraneous to the Complaint are not considered – the motion focuses on “the four corners of the Complaint”


Van Camp v. McAfoos:Plaintiff’s complaint fails

to state a claim if it does not contain an allegation of fault – an allegation that the defendant acted either intentionally or negligently


Literally asks the judge to “direct” the jury to render a verdict for the moving party-- comes after the plaintiff has produced all his evidence at trial-- moving party is arguing that the plaintiff has failed to prove the elements of any legal claim


Battery requires that the defendant act, “intending to cause a harmful or offensive contact,” and that “a harmful [or offensive] contact results.”

--Snyder v. Turk

--Cohen v. Smith


What counts as “contact” ?


What damages are available for offensive (not physically harmful) battery?

Must damages be proved with precision?


1. Defendant must act volitionally2. Defendant must intend to cause a harmful

or offensive touching of the plaintiff3. Contact with or touching of the plaintiff4. Plaintiff must be either harmed or offended

by the touching (note causal link)


Either of the following: Acting with the purpose to

achieve the invasive result, OR Acting with knowledge that

the invasive result is substantially certain to occur


D intends to commit a tort on A◦But commits that tort on B instead. Can B sue D for that tort?

◦But commits a different tort on A Can A sue D for the different tort?

◦But commits a different tort on B instead. Can B sue D for the different tort?


Children: May be held liable for intentional torts, as long as they form the requisite intent and the other elements are proved

Parents: Are not liable for torts of their children, unless (1) the parents themselves are at fault and primarily liable, OR (2) a statute makes them liable.


Polmatier & White v. Muniz

General rule: Mental infirmity is not a blanket defense. The issue is whether the defendant formed the required “intent.”


Defendant must intend to touch the plaintiff

AND

must intend to harm or offend the plaintiff


Examples:1.Where the D

deliberately poisons the plaintiff


2.Where the D knocks a hat off the plaintiff’s

head3.Where the D shakes

the car that the D knows the plaintiff is seated in.


Assault:Occurs where the defendant intentionally cause the plaintiff to reasonably be in apprehension of an imminent, offensive touching.


False Imprisonment:Occurs when the defendant intentionally confines (either physically or by overcoming the plaintiff’s will)


the plaintiff to a definable area from which there is no reasonably apparent means of escape.


Example:Pleasure Inn

Shopkeeper’s PrivilegeArrest Privilege


Defamation:Elements:1. False Communication2. Injury to the Reputation3. Published Statement


A defamatory statement is one which is false and lowers the person’s esteem in the community or subjects the person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule.


Defamation (continued):Libel: When the defamatory statement is in written form.Slander: When the defamatory statement is oral


* The defamatory statement must be communicated to a third person or persons other than the one who is defamed.

* Can not defame a dead person.


Defenses to defamation suits:Absolute PrivilegeQualified PrivilegeConstitutional


Invasion of Privacy:1. Appropriation of Name or Likeness

*Use of another’s name without consent*For benefit


2. Intrusion*Unreasonable and

offensive interference with person’s seclusion


3. Public Disclosure of Private Facts

* Publicity (communication to public peers)


* Of private information regarding an individual can be truthful


4. False Light* Highly Offensive* Publicity* Placing another in false light


* The defendant publicly knew was untrue or

acted in reckless disregard of truth* There is a difference between an accident and reckless disregard


Interference with Property Rights:Real Property


Trespass:Intentionallyenters or remainson property belonging to another orcauses a thing or another to do so or


fails to remove something he has a duty to remove.Injury (damage) does not have to occur.


Interference with Property Rights:AirspaceNuisance


Personal Property:Intentiondispossession orunauthorized use of other’s property


Liability:DispossessionTrespass to personal

propertyConversion


intentional tort by dr. tabrez ahmad associate professor of law kiit law school india

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