MBE TORTS
Frequently Tested Topics INTENTIONAL TORTS 5 elements of Intentional TortsTorts- 1. Voluntary Act; 2. Intent; 3. Causation; 4. Harm; and 5. No ri!ile"e or #efense Torts C$ec/list* >$o is t$e laintiffD Intent is eit$er 1. #esire t$at your act %ill cause t$e intended conse&uences; or 2. 'no% t$at t$e outcome is >$o is t$e defendant=%$o are t$e su(stantially certain to occur due to your acts defendantsD >$o are t$e )attery** %$ere a defendant* 1. intentionally causes +intent- moti!e is irrele!ant,; 2. a $armful or offensi!e contact )attery resonsi(le artiesD >$at is t$e +any amount of discomfort; 3. to t$e laintiff or somet$in" closely connected to t$e laintiff +#oes not re&uire t$e laintiffs in
$at laintiff to (e a%are le"al t$eory=t$eories can t$e laintiff Intent- desire t$e contact; /ne% contact %as su(stantially li/ely to occur due to t$eir action. assertD Transferred Transferred intent- still lia(le. Incometent- still lia(le if you intended t$e conduct or /ne% its result )attery defense- consent Ne"li"ence Assault-- %$ere t$e defendant* 1. intentionally laces t$e laintiff; 2. in reasona(le are$ension +re&uires actual Assault Beneral 7lements* 7lements* 1. #uty #uty +#oes /no%led"e of an 3. imminent (attery +could (e carried out almost immediately t$e la% imose* a le"al o(li"ation Assault intentintent- act %it$* urose urose to create are$ension or /no% /no% t$at* are$ension are$ension %as su(stantially su(stantially certain to on t$e defendant to t$e laintiff; 2. occur. Transferred Transferred Intent still alies 6tandard of Care* +measure of t$e 0emem(er- %ords alone are rarely enou"$; loo/ for elements t$at ne"ate intent +I %ould (ut; often aired duty o%ed; 3. )reac$ of #uty* +t$e %it$ )att failure to meet t$e standard or alse ImrisonmentImrisonmen t- 1. defendant intentionally causes laintiff laintiff 2. to (e confined in a (ounded area +confinementcare; 4. Cause in act +Connects usually (y t$reat or force; not alica(le is $as reasona(le %ay to escae; no time re&uirement 3. A"ainst t$e t$e defendants* (reac$ to t$e laintiffs consent and 4. laintiff is a%are of confinement or suffered $arm due to it laintiffs init$ laintiffs c$attel= ersonal roerty and 4. Causes $arm +cannot (e tri!ial Intent is satisfied %$en defendant intentionally erforms t$e $ysical act t$at interferes %it$ laintiffs c$attel. #efendant is lia(le e!en t$ou"$* $e may (e reasona(ly mista/en Conduct "i!in" rise # uses (orro%s %it$out aut$ori?ation or dama"es a c$attel of anot$er in a si"nificant enou"$ %ay t$at %e are %illin" to ro!ide dama"es. +:sually allo% remedy of rele!in- "et stuff (ac/ My Strengths and Weaness Con!ersion* defendant e8ercises e8ercises 1. intentionally e8ercises +Intent same same as con!ersion- mista/e is no defense 2. dominion or control o!er t$e laintiffs c$attel or ersonal roerty reresentin" 3. a su(stantial interference +more se!ere t$an con!ersion )ona fide urc$aser for !alue- If you (uy stolen "ood you are scre%ed- still lia(le to ori"inal o%ner 0emedies* Tyically Tyically forced sale con!erter re&uired to ay fair mar/et !alue of t$e c$attel at t$e time it %as con!erted- 0ele!in too #efenses and ri!ile"es to Intentional Torts +9CAN6 ri!ile"e; 9t$ers; roerty; Consent; Aut$ority; Necessity; 6elf #efense Consent- usually alies in Ass=)at. If consent no reco!ery. 78ress* 78ress* >ords s$o% %illin"ness Imlied* Actions s$o% %illin"ness @imitation- cannot e8ceed reasona(le consent. 6tandard- is %$at t$e defendant %ould reasona(ly (elie!e ista/e can !itiate consent %$en it "oes to t$e conse&uence of t$e act. >$en to a collateral matter it does not %ie out consent 6elf #efense#efense- %$ere a defendant $onestly and reasona(ly (elie!es t$at s$e used reasona(le force to re!ent laintiff from en"a"in" in an imminent and unri!ile"ed attac/. :se of force must (e roortional +i.e. deadly cannot (e used a"ainst non deadly and must end %$en t$reat is o!er 6ome
MBE TORTS
NE!LI!EN"E #uty->$en a defendant is en"a"ed in affirmati!e ris/ creatin" conduct causin" inron"ful Concetion +i.e (ro/en condom >ron"ful )irt$ +i.e. #r failed to dia"nose %ould $a!e a(orted >ron"ful @ife @and ossessor @ia(ility* 1. In!itee t$ere for econ (enefit or u(lic use; duty to e8ercise reasona(le care to re!ent in$at is t$e* t$e* unreasona(le conduct conduct and %$ats t$e ro(a(ility of $arm; 2. > $at is t$e* li/ely in$at is t$e* (urden for defendant to act differently 6$o%in" !iolation of custom= industry ractice can $el s$o% !iolation of standard of care= a (reac$ C$ildren- art su( $ere defendants conduct also !iolates* criminal statute= le"islati!e ordinance. :sually means (reac$ if it alies Ne" er 6e alies if 1. laintiff is a* class t$e statute %as desi"ned to rotect or 2. t$e in$en not alica(le use reasona(le erson standard rofessionals- or la%yers doctors accountants accountants and arc$itects courts %ill defer to t$e rofession* t$e customary ractice (ecomes t$e standard of care. If you comly you are safe edical alractice* #octors are re&uired to ossess and use t$e /no%led"e s/ill and trainin" of* ot$er doctors in "ood standin" in t$e same "eo"ra$ic community +If secialist t$ere is a national scoe @ac/ of Informed consent- 6lit of Aut$ority 1. rofessional 0ule Traditionally Traditionally doctors must di!ul"e t$ose ris/s t$at are customarily di!ul"ed. 9r 2. 6tandard of materiality +atient 0ule*0e&uires $ysicians to di!ul"e all material ris/s )reac$ of #uty 6li-and-fall cases- must s$o% t$at # %as* ne"li"ent for failin" to disco!er and failin" to remedy t$e dan"erous condition 0es isa lo&uitur +Gt$e t$in" sea/s for itself Arises %$en you cannot identify %$at t$e defendant did t$at %as %ron" (ut t$e situation smells of ne"li"ence To ro!e 0es Isa @o&uiter laintiff laintiff needs to s$o%* 1. %$en t$is $aens its tyically due to ne"li"ence; 2. #efendant is* t$e resonsi(le arty +$as control; and 3. laintiff did not contri(ute to t$e inas t$e ne"li"ence of t$e defendant at issue* a su(stantial factor in t$e laintiffs in
MBE TORTS
T%o cate"ories of comensatory dama"es a!aila(le 1. 6ecial 2. Beneral 6ecial dama"es* Ta Tan"i(le n"i(le ecuniary suc$ as medical e8enses lost %a"es cost of reairin" a car etc. Can reco!er for ast resent and future dama"es. uture dama"es are reduced to resent !alue. Beneral dama"es* ore contro!ersial (ecause* t$ey are more intan"i(le +i.e. ain and sufferin" uniti!e #ama"es 0e&uires "reater cula(ility t$an ne"li"ence.- >illful >anton alicious 0ec/less. Boal is to deter future (e$a!ior #efenses to Ne"li"enceNe"li"ence - Contri(utory Ne"li"ence Comarati!e ault Assumtion of t$e ris/ :nder contri(utory ne"li"ence* any fault on (e$alf of t$e laintiff is a (ar to reco!ery +e!en 1J Comarati!e fault reduces t$e laintiffs reco!ery. ure comarati!e fault* t$e laintiff is allo%ed to reco!er no matter $o% at fault t$ey are- su(tract t$e J of fault from t$e reco!ery laintiff is allo%ed to reco!er +i.e. if 4J ne" you "et EJ of t$e %innin" odified comarati!e fault* If laintiff is as muc$ or more at fault t$en t$e laintiff is* no reco!ery or )7 Assume* ure comarati!e comarati!e fault ild Animals- if is in$en t$ere is (ot$ a ser!ice and a roduct* If defecti!e "oods are sulied alon" %it$ ser!ices strict lia(ility only if roduct sales redominate o!er ser!ice 4. #efects- 3 /inds anufacturin" #esi"n a(sence of %arnin" anufacturin" #efect - A roduct manufactured manufactured in a form* not intended (y t$e manufacturer. manufacturer. must s$o% roduct is more dan"erous t$an a consumer %ould reasona(ly e8ect; or in a condition not intended (y t$e manufacturer and t$e defect e8isted at t$e time it left t$e defendants $ands. #esi"n defects- A roduct roduct manufactured as t$e manufacturer intended (ut t$at* t$ere is a ro(lem %it$ t$e desi"n itself loo/ to ordinary consumer e8ectation test +more dan"erous t$an contemlated and ris/-utility (alancin" test +its (enefit to society out%ei"$ed (y $ arm (alanced a"ainst t$e a!aila(ility feasi(ility feasi(ility and imact of alternati!e desi"ns. Vaccines Vaccines and 08 #ru"s e8emt A(sence of >arnin"s* >arnin"s* 1. Inade&uate Inade&uate %arnin"- does not inform of dan"ers= ostin" issues; issues; or 2 issin" issin" >arnin" +if /no%n ris/ ris/ 5. Cause-in-act-Inar. K. #efenses* 1. isuse +use roduct in non-intended= unforeseea(le %ay; 2. Alterations; and 3. Assumtion of t$e 0is/ Ne"li"ence T$eoryT$eory- foreseea(le loo/ loo/ to reasona(leness res isa t$ats lace of manufac. #efect ne"li"ent defenses aly >arranty T$eoryT$eory- 78ress or Imlied >arranty 78ress- #ef ma/es a secific reresentation as to t$e &uality of an item t$at (ecomes t$e (asis of t$e (ar"ain +in ads ne"o 's Imlied %arranty- >arranty of erc$anta(ility erc$anta(ility +a!e &uality of "ood of t$at /ind; ri!ity re&s can (e disclaimed N'ISAN"E 2 /inds u(lic and ri!ate u(lic NuisanceNuisance- is an unreasona(le interference %it$ t$e $ealt$ safety morals of t$e community. :sually (rou"$t (y Bo!. Actor To reco!er reco!er dama"es in an i ndi!idual action for a u(lic n uisance* $e must $a!e a uni&ue indi!idual $arm ri!ate NuisanceNuisance - is a t$in"=acti!ity t$at* is su(stantial or unreasona(le interference %it$ t$e use or en$o %as t$ere first 0emedies-- In
MBE TORTS
Trut$- falsity %as once resumed no% must ro!e it in rima acie case +e8cet ossi(ly ri!ate and ri!ate concern A(solute ri!ile"eri!ile"e- not lia(le as matter matter of la% 1.souses; 1.souses; 2. le"islati!e floor; (et%een $i"$ ran/in" ran/in" officials; $at is t$e* status of t$e laintiffD; +2 >$at is t$e* su($at* dames does t$e laintiff sea/; +4 >$at is t$e* status of t$e defendant u(lic official* If def related to caacity as u(lic official official must ro!e* clear and con!incin" e!idence of actual malice. 6$o% # /ne% information %as false or* rec/lessly disre"arded trut$ or falsity. u(lic fi"ure treated t$e same as u(9ff. @imited u(lic fi"ures- only rele!ant in t$e conte8t t$ey are u(lic ri!ate fi"ure* loo/ to su(ron"ful Institution of Ci!il roceedin"s- 6imilar to malicious rosecution* ron"ful >ron"ful #eat$ 6ur!i!al 6tatutes* T$e deat$ of t$e !ictim or tortfeasor no lon"er a(ates t$e tort action and t$e claim* continues %it$ t$e estate >ron"ful #eat$ 6tatutes* allo%s $eirs to (rin" suit for t$e in$ere a souse is /illed t$e sur!i!in" souse may (rin" a claim for loss of consortium; se8 comanions$i
