Exam 7: Intentional Torts

X knows that Y has offered to sell wheat to Z at a certain price per bushel. Hoping to get Z for a customer, X offers Z wheat at $.50 less a bushel than Y offered. X gets the contract. X is liable to Y for the tort of interference with contractual relations.

Defenses of absolute, conditional, and constitutional privilege apply to defamation and also to publication of any matter that is an invasion of privacy.

Which of the following is not a principal objective of tort law?

John and Megan are at a crowded theater. In the press of people exiting the theater, John accidentally steps on Megan's big toe and breaks it. Megan can sue John for the tort of battery.

Sarah joined a religious cult while a student at college. Her father hired a deprogrammer who spent several weeks with her, during which they occasionally went on outings. After Sarah met with her boyfriend one weekend, she rejoined the cult and sued her father and the deprogrammer for false imprisonment. In this case:

Carl threw a bomb into the office of his insurance agent, intending to kill the agent because the company had disallowed his claim. The agent wasn't in the building, but the bomb seriously injured his secretary, who was working in the office.

One of the principal objectives of tort law is to prevent future harms and losses.

Andrew noticed Michael and his pregnant wife Georgette walking down the street and drove his car within inches of Michael, as a joke. Michael wasn't injured, but his wife suffered severe mental distress and needed to be hospitalized in order to save the pregnancy. Andrew has:

The Hometown News snapped a picture of Tim as he was sleeping under a tree in the park on a warm spring day. If the paper printed the picture on the front page:

Disparagement differs from defamation in that defamation pertains to personal reputation, whereas disparagement pertains to business interests.

Al, a cross-country bus driver, kisses Susie, a passenger, while she sleeps. Al could be sued for battery.

Most states have statutes protecting merchants from charges of false imprisonment when detaining suspected shoplifters as long as the merchant detains the suspect:

A privilege may result in immunity from tort liability.

Malicious prosecution and wrongful civil proceedings impose liability for damages caused by improperly brought proceedings, including harm to reputation, credit, or standing; emotional distress; and expenses of defense.

The law of torts is primarily made up of statutory law.

Damages recoverable for the tort of disparagement may include:

Damages awarded in excess of normal compensation in order to punish a defendant for a serious civil wrong are known as punitive damages.

A newspaper article hints that a certain corporation is a front for illegal activity. The corporation:

Tim and Steve are roughhousing in Tim's parents' front yard when Steve intentionally pushes Tim onto the neighbor's property. The trespasser(s) is/are:

Intentional harm to property includes the torts of: