Find a term:
Find Terms & Definitions.
A tort, in common law jurisdiction, is a civil wrong that causes a claimant to suffer loss or harm, resulting in legal liability for the person who commits the tortious act. It can include intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, financial loss, injury, invasion of privacy, and numerous other harms.
Tort law involves claims in an action seeking to obtain a private civil remedy, typically monetary damages. Tort claims may be compared to criminal law, which deals with criminal wrongs that are punishable by the state. A wrongful act, such as an assault and battery, may result in both a civil lawsuit and a criminal prosecution in countries where the civil and criminal legal systems are separate.
Tort law may also be contrasted with contract law, which also provides civil remedies after breach of a duty that arises from a contract; but whereas the contractual obligation is one agreed to by the parties, obligations in both tort and criminal law are more fundamental and are imposed regardless of whether the parties have a contract. In both contract and tort, successful claimants must show that they have suffered foreseeable loss or harm as a direct result of the breach of duty.
Dignitary Tort
Alienation of Affections is a common law tort, abolished in many jurisdictions. Where it still exists, an action is brought by a spouse against a third party alleged to be responsible for damaging the marriage, most often resulting in divorce. The defendant in an alienation of affections suit is typically an adulterous spouse’s lover, although family members, counselors, and therapists or clergy members who have advised a spouse to seek divorce have also been sued for alienation of affections.
Schizophrenia often involves an inability to orient oneself with reality, a withdrawal from social interactions, and a failure to integrate thoughts with emotions so that emotional expression is inappropriate.
Source: wikipedia
Examples of Dignitary Tort:
- Appropriation
- Defamation ( slander/Libel)
- Invasion of Privacy
- Breach of Confidence
- Abuse of process
- Malicious prosecution
- Sexual torts (alienation of affections)
- Criminal conversation
- Seduction
- Breach of Promise
Tresspass to the Person
In common law, assault is the tort of acting intentionally, that is with either general or specific intent, causing the reasonable apprehension of an immediate harmful or offensive contact. Assault requires intent, it is considered an intentional tort, as opposed to a tort of negligence. Actual ability to carry out the apprehended contact is not necessary. ‘The conduct forbidden by this tort is an act that threatens violence.’
Schizophrenia often involves an inability to orient oneself with reality, a withdrawal from social interactions, and a failure to integrate thoughts with emotions so that emotional expression is inappropriate.
Source: wikipedia
Examples of Tresspass to the Person Tort:
- Battery
- False Imprisonment
- Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
Other examples of Tort woud be:
- Property Torts
- Negligent Torts
- Economic Torts