Torts - Cases, Principles, and Institutions Fifth Edition, 2016a

Witt & Tani, TCPI
Table of Contents
About the Authors ................................................................................................................. i
Notices .................................................................................................................................... ii
About CALI eLangdell Press ............................................................................................. iii
CHAPTER 1. AN INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN TORT LAW .... 1
A. Principles and Institutions .............................................................................................. 1
B. An Introductory Case: The Tort of Battery .................................................................. 4
1. Vosburg v. Putney, 50 N.W. 403 (Wis. 1891) ............................................................... 4
2. Anatomy of a Torts Case ................................................................................................ 6
3. The Pervasiveness of Settlement .................................................................................... 8
4. The Size of the Tort System ......................................................................................... 10
5. Accident Rates and the Deterrence Goal ...................................................................... 14
6. Expressing Moral Judgments and Correcting Injustice ................................................ 18
7. Garratt v. Dailey, 279 P.2d 1091 (Wash. 1955) ........................................................... 19
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 21
CHAPTER 2. INTENTIONALLY INFLICTED PHYSICAL HARMS35
A. Trespass .......................................................................................................................... 35
1. Trespass to Land ........................................................................................................... 35
Dougherty v. Stepp ............................................................................................................ 35
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 36
2. Trespass to Chattels ...................................................................................................... 38
Intel Corp. v. Hamidi ......................................................................................................... 39
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 45
B. Beyond Battery: Causes of Action for Other Personal Injuries ................................ 47
1. Offensive Battery .......................................................................................................... 47
Fisher v. Carrousel Motor Hotel, Inc. ................................................................................ 47
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 49
2. Assault .......................................................................................................................... 50
I. de S. & Wife v. W. de S. Assizes ................................................................................... 50
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 50
Speicher v. Rajtora ............................................................................................................. 52
Note ................................................................................................................................ 53
3. False Imprisonment ...................................................................................................... 54
Whittaker v. Sandford ........................................................................................................ 54
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 56
4. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress ................................................................. 57
GTE Southwest v. Bruce .................................................................................................... 57
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 62
C. Defenses to Intentional Torts ........................................................................................ 66
1. Self-Defense ................................................................................................................. 66
Courvoisier v. Raymond .................................................................................................... 66
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 68
2. Defense of Real Property .............................................................................................. 71
Bird v. Holbrook ................................................................................................................ 71
Notes .............................................................................................................................. 72