Intentional Torts Flashcards
(49 cards)
Substantial Certainty
98%
Intent in intentional torts
For the purpose of causing the outcome; or knowing with substantial certainty that the outcome would result from the act
Battery
- Actor intends to cause contact with another person
- contact is harmful or offensive
- The other person does not consent
Unique intent issue in battery
single intent and dual intent
Single intent jurisdictions
D must intend contact (that ends up being harmful or offensive) *majority
Dual intent jurisdictions
D must intend contact AND must intend that the contact be harmful or offensive
Transferred Intent “extended liability
Courts hold intentional wrongdoers responsible for an extensive range of consequences, including consequences the wrongdoer never intended
- usually only applied where D’s conduct, if liable, completed as intended would have been a tort
-
example of transferred intent
A swings at B, intending to scare her (assault), but he hits C. Although A has no intent to C, A has committed battery against C. (A’s original act, if completed, would have been assault against B)
“offensive” for battery
- contact offends a reasonable sense of personal dignity; or
- the contact is highly offensive to the other person’s unusual sensitive sense of personal dignity, and the actor knew the contact would be highly offensive to the other
General goal of battery tort
protect personal dignity
Eggshell Skull
D is responsible for all damages incurred by P, even if those damages were not foreseeable and even if an ordinary victim would not have suffered these injuries or to the same extreme
Battery may exist where…
the actor causes offensive contact to items believed to be logical extensions of the victim’s person
Respondeat Superior
- a form of vicarious liability
- employer is generally liable for the tortious conduct of an employee that occurs within the scope of employment
Nominal damages
awarded to signify plaintiff’s vindication in court
(ex: $1)
Punitive damages (exemplary)
the purpose is to punish D for their actions and deter the D and others from committing similar offenses
Compensatory damages
monetary awards to P for losses, injuries, or damages caused by another party’s unlawful conduct
Assault
actor intends to cause a harmful or offensive contact OR an imminent apprehension of harmful or offensive contact AND the other person is thereby put into imminent apprehension of a harmful or offensive contact
contemporaneous awareness (assault)
is required
Standard for apprehension
a) Whether the act would place a reasonable person in apprehension of an unwanted contact, not whether or not whether the D is able to make the intended contact
b) Contact is about to take place
c) Knowledge of Act Required – P must have been aware of the threat
d) Knowledge of Def. identity not required
Apparent Ability to Act is sufficient – even if def. is not actually capable of causing injury, apprehension can be satisfied
Are words alone enough for assault?
words generally do not constitute assault, doesn’t satisfy apprehension
False Imprisonment
Actor intends to confine another within boundaries fixed by the actor, confinement results, and the other is contemporaneously aware of the confinement or harmed by it.
Confinement
someone remaining in a bounded area created by the actor
Shoplifting Privilege
1) a reasonable belief a person has stolen or is attempting to steal
2) detention for a reasonable time
3) detention in a reasonable manner (defense to false imprisonment)
Shopkeeper’s Dilemma
- If the shopkeeper is wrong they could be held liable for various torts
- If the shopkeeper reasonably believes that theft may have occurred, then SK may detain in a reasonable manner for a reasonable time to investigate the ownership of the property