The torts process / 7th ed.

Table Of Contents:

Table of Continuing Notes xxiii

Table of Problems xxv
Preface xxvii
Acknowledgments xxix

Introduction to the Torts Process: Liability for Harmful and Offensive Battery 1(104)

Some General Observations 1(2)

The Lawyer as Part of the Legal Profession 1(1)

A Bird's-Eye View of the Law of Torts 2(1)

A Preliminary Look at the Adjudicatory Process 3(6)

The Investigation 3(1)

The Pleadings 4(2)

The Trial 6(2)

The Appeal 8(1)

Mechanisms for Resolving Disputes: Adjudication 8(1)

The Substantive Law Governing Liability for Battery 9(2)

The Prima Facie Case 11(94)

Intent 12(1)

What Consequences Must the Defendant Intend to Commit a Battery? 12(1)

Vosburg v. Putney 12(3)

The Law-Fact Distinction: In General 15(2)

Note: Tort Liability of Minors and Their Parents 17(2)

Which Mental States Constitute Intent to Cause a Harmful or Offensive Contact? 19(1)

Garratt v. Dailey 19(6)

The Law-Fact Distinction: Trials Without Juries 25(1)

Problem 1 25(1)

Mechanisms for Resolving Disputes: Judges vs. Juries as Triers of Fact 26(3)

Contact 29(1)

What Constitutes Contact? 29(1)

Which Intended Contacts Are Wrongful? 29(1)

Fisher v. Carrousel Motor Hotel 30(2)

Leichtman v. WLW Jacor Communications, Inc. 32(2)

Note: Returning (Briefly) to the Element of Intent 34(1)

Law and Policy: Preliminary Considerations 34(4)

Privileges 38(1)

Consent 38(1)

O'Brien v. Cunard Steamship Co. 38(1)

The Law-Fact Distinction: Sufficiency of the Evidence, Directed Verdicts, and Judgments Non Obstante Veredicto 39(2)

Problem 2 41(1)

Barton v. Bee Line, Inc. 42(2)

The Lawyer's Professional Responsibility: Keeping Confidences 44(2)

Note: Minors as Parties to Litigation 46(1)

Note: The Effect of Criminal Statutes on Consent 46(2)

Bang v. Charles T. Miller Hospital 48(2)

Kennedy v. Parrott 50(3)

The Relationship Between Tort and Contract: Medical Malpractice 53(5)

Hackbart v. Cincinnati Bengals, Inc. 58(3)

Note: Consent Procured By Fraud or Duress 61(1)

Note: Patients' Consent to Lifesaving Medical Treatment 62(3)

Pulling Some Strands Together: Intent, Consent, and Liability Insurance 65(1)

State Farm Fire & Casualty Company v. S.S. & G.W. 66(5)

Self-Defense 71(1)

Note: Rules vs. Standards as Means of Guiding and Judging Behavior 72(1)

Problem 3 73(3)

Courvoisier v. Raymond 76(2)

The Lawyer's Professional Responsibility: Playing to the Prejudices of the Jury 78(2)

The Law-Fact Distinction: Evaluation of Conduct 80(1)

Problem 4 81(1)

Law and Policy: Why All This Reliance on Reasonableness? 82(2)

Defense of Others 84(1)

Defense of Property 84(1)

Katko v. Briney 85(6)

Law and Policy: Why Should We Care About Sneak Thieves? 91(2)

Necessity 93(1)

Ploof v. Putnam 93(1)

Vincent v. Lake Erie Transportation Co. 94(3)

Problem 5 97(1)

Miscellaneous Privileges 98(2)

Law and Behavior: Does the One Affect the Other? 100(2)

Law and Policy: Taking Stock 102(3)

Actual Causation 105(44)

Did the Defendant Cause the Plaintiff's Harm? 106(13)

Hoyt v. Jeffers 107(2)

Smith v. Rapid Transit Inc. 109(2)

The Law-Fact Distinction: Sufficiency of the Evidence and Circumstantial Proof of Causation 111(5)

Problem 6 116(1)

The Lawyer's Professional Responsibility: The Partisan Expert Witness, Frivolous Lawsuits, and Perjury 117(2)

When One of Several Defendants Did It, But We Can't Tell Which One: Alternative Liability 119(15)

Summers v. Tice 119(2)

Ybarra v. Spangard 121(2)

Note: Joint and Several Liability 123(1)

Note: The Development of Market-Share Liability in DES Litigation 124(2)

Problem 7 126(5)

The Lawyer's Professional Responsibility: Interviewing Witnesses 131(1)

Problem 8 132(2)

When Two or More Causal Agents Would, Independent of Each Other, Have Caused Plaintiff's Harm: Concurrent and Successive Causation 134(4)

Dillon v. Twin State Gas & Electric Co. 134(1)

Kingston v. Chicago & N.W. Ry. 135(2)

Problem 9 137(1)

Relationship Between Actual Causation and Vicarious Liability 138(11)

Masters, Servants, and Independent Contractors --- Respondeat Superior 139(1)

General Principles 139(1)

Distinguishing Servants from Independent Contractors 139(2)

Relationship Between the Servant's Conduct and the Scope of Employment 141(2)

Exceptions to the General Rule of Nonliability of Independent Contractors 143(1)

The Master's Right of Indemnity Against the Servant 144(1)

Law and Policy: Why Should Masters Be Liable for the Employment-Related Torts of Their Servants? 144(2)

Problem 10 146(1)

Other Forms of Vicarious Liability 147(1)

Joint Enterprise 147(1)

The Family Purpose Doctrine 148(1)

Negligence: Duty of Care and Proof of Breach 149(110)

The Origins and Early Development of the Negligence Concept 149(8)

Brown v. Kendall 150(3)

Law and Behavior: Influences upon Judicial Decisions 153(4)

The General Standard 157(20)

United States v. Carroll Towing Co. 159(4)

Problem 11 163(1)

The Law-Fact Distinction: The Negligence Issue 164(2)

Washington v. Louisiana Power and Light Co. 166(2)

Weirum v. RKO General, Inc. 168(3)

Note: The Duty Issue in Negligence Law 171(2)

Law and Policy: The Values Reflected in the Negligence Concept 173(4)

Special Rules Governing the Proof of Negligence 177(40)

Violation of Criminal Statutes 177(1)

Martin v. Herzog 177(2)

Tedla v. Ellman 179(3)

Brown v. Shyne 182(5)

The Law-Fact Distinction: The Effect of Safety Statute Violations upon the Division of Functions Between Judge and Jury 187(1)

Problem 12 188(1)

Custom 189(1)

Trimarco v. Klein 189(1)

The T. J. Hooper 190(3)

Problem 13 193(1)

Mechanisms for Resolving Disputes: Special Verdicts, General Verdicts, and Instructions to the Jury 193(2)

Law and Behavior: Influences upon Jury Decisions 195(4)

Helling v. Carey 199(3)

The Relationship Between Tort and Contract: Breach of Promise to Cure as a Basis of Medical Malpractice Liability 202(1)

Res Ipsa Loquitur 203(3)

Boyer v. Iowa High School Athletic Ass'n. 206(3)

Shutt v. Kaufman's, Inc. 209(3)

City of Louisville v. Humphrey 212(1)

Problem 14 213(1)

Escola v. Coca Cola Bottling Co. 214(3)

Modification of the General Standard Arising Out of Special Relationships Between the Parties 217(13)

Responsibility of Possessors of Land for the Safety of Trespassers, Licensees, and Invitees 217(1)

Invitees and Licensees 218(1)

Trespassers 219(3)

Problem 15 222(1)

Problem 16 223(1)

Rowland v. Christian 223(5)

Responsibility of Common Carriers for the Safety of Their Passengers 228(1)

Responsibility of Operators of Motor Vehicles for the Safety of Their Passengers 229(1)

The Absence of a General Duty to Rescue 230(29)

Erie R. Co. v. Stewart 230(3)

Tubbs v. Argus 233(3)

Problem 17 236(2)

Model Rules of Professional Conduct 238(2)

The Lawyer's Professional Responsibility: The Relevance of Moral Considerations 240(2)

Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California 242(8)

Problem 18 250(1)

Law and Policy: A Legal Duty to Rescue? 251(3)

Law and Behavior: The Effect of Legal Rules upon Individual Conduct 254(5)

Negligence: Proximate Causation, Special Categories of Nonrecovery, and Defenses 259(126)

Proximate Cause 259(41)

Liability Linked Logically to Defendant's Negligence and Limited to Foreseeable Consequences 260(1)

But For the Wrongful Quality of Defendant's Conduct, Would the Plaintiff Have Suffered the Same Harm? 260(1)

Ford v. Trident Fisheries Co. 261(1)

Lyons v. Midnight Sun Transportation Services, Inc. 261(2)

Cahoon v. Cummings 263(3)

Was Any Harm to the Plaintiff Foreseeable When the Defendant Acted? 266(1)

Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R. 266(5)

Solomon v. Shuell 271(4)

Were the Nature and Circumstances of the Plaintiff's Harm Foreseeable? 275(1)

Marshall v. Nugent 275(4)

Herrera v. Quality Pontiac 279(4)

Stahlecker v. Ford Motor Company 283(5)

Problem 19 288(3)

Gorris v. Scott 291(2)

Problem 20 293(1)

Other Approaches to the Proximate Cause Issue 294(6)

Special Instances of Nonliability for Foreseeable Consequences 300(59)

Mental and Emotional Upset 300(1)

The Impact and Zone of Danger Rules 300(1)

Waube v. Warrington 301(2)

Note: The Impact and Zone of Danger Rules in the Age of Toxics 303(2)

Bystanders Liability 305(1)

Dillon v. Legg 305(4)

Thing v. La Chusa 309(7)

Problem 21 316(1)

Direct Victims 317(1)

Burgess v. Superior Court 317(4)

Injury to Personal Relationships 321(1)

Feliciano v. Rosemar Silver Co. 322(1)

Borer v. American Airlines, Inc. 323(6)

Prenatal Harm 329(1)

Actions by Parents for Their Own Harm 329(1)

Werling v. Sandy 329(5)

Fassoulas v. Ramey 334(3)

Actions on Behalf of Children for Their Own Harm 337(1)

Turpin v. Sortini 338(6)

Purely Consequential Economic Loss 344(1)

Barber Lines A/S v. M/V Donau Maru 344(5)

J'Aire Corp. v. Gregory 349(3)

People Express Airlines, Inc. v. Consolidated Rail Corp. 352(6)

Problem 22 358(1)

Contributory Fault 359(18)

Contributory Negligence 359(1)

Butterfield v. Forrester 359(1)

Davies v. Mann 360(2)

Assumption of the Risk 362(1)

Meistrich v. Casino Arena Attractions, Inc. 362(2)

Problem 23 364(1)

The Relationship Between Tort and Contract: Exculpatory Clauses and Disclaimers in Contracts 365(1)

Comparative Negligence 366(4)

Problem 24 370(2)

Uniform Comparative Fault Act 372(2)

Problem 25 374(1)

Knight v. Jewett 374(3)

Immunities 377(8)

Governmental Immunity 377(2)

Charitable Immunity 379(1)

Intrafamily Immunities 379(6)

Trespass to Land and Nuisance 385(38)

Trespass to Land 385(2)

Nuisance 387(5)

Judicial Applications of the Substantive Law 392(31)

Peters v. Archambault 393(3)

Adams v. Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. 396(5)

Davis v. Georgia-Pacific Corp. 401(3)

Waschak v. Moffat 404(3)

Jost v. Dairyland Power Cooperative 407(2)

Boomer v. Atlantic Cement Co. 409(6)

Spur Industries, Inc. v. Del E. Webb Development Co. 415(4)

Problem 26 419(4)

Strict Liability 423(28)

Maintaining Custody of Animals 423(4)

Abnormally Dangerous Activities 427(24)

Fletcher v. Rylands 427(3)

Rylands v. Fletcher 430(1)

Turner v. Big Lake Oil Co. 431(3)

Siegler v. Kuhlman 434(5)

PSI Energy, Inc. v. Roberts 439(3)

Law and Policy: Why Strict Liability? 442(5)

Foster v. Preston Mitt Co. 447(2)

Problem 27 449(2)

Products Liability 451(94)

Liability for Manufacturing Defects 451(43)

The Plaintiff's Prima Facie Case: Doctrinal Theories of Liability 452(1)

Negligence 452(1)

MacPherson v. Buick Motor Co. 453(2)

Breach of Warranty 455(3)

Henningsen v. Bloomfield Motors, Inc. 458(6)

Strict Liability in Tort 464(1)

Vandermark v. Ford Motor Co. 465(4)

Note: Circumstantial Proof of Defect 469(2)

The Relationship Between Tort and Contract: Products Liability and Recovery for Pure Economic Loss 471(3)

Law and Policy: Policy Objectives Supporting Strict Liability in Tort for Defective Products 474(1)

James A. Henderson, Jr., Coping with the Time Dimension in Products Liability 474(5)

Problem 28 479(1)

The Plaintiff's Prima Facie Case: Causation 480(1)

Actual Causation (Cause-in-Fact) 480(2)

Proximate (Legal) Causation 482(1)

Union Pump Co. v. Allbritton 482(3)

Postscript on Causation and Daubert 485(2)

Affirmative Defenses Based on Plaintiff's Conduct 487(1)

Murray v. Fairbanks Morse 488(6)

Liability for Defective Product Designs 494(30)

McCormack v. Hankscraft Co. 496(7)

Troja v. Black & Decker Manufacturing Co. 503(5)

Parish v. JumpKing, Inc. 508(4)

Problem 29 512(1)

Note: Design Defect and Daubert 513(1)

Heaton v. Ford Motor Co. 514(4)

Soule v. General Motors Corp. 518(6)

Problem 30 524(1)

Liability for Failure to Instruct or Warn 524(18)

Sheckells v. AGV Corp. 525(5)

Problem 31 530(1)

Gray v. Badger Mining Corp. 531(11)

Statutory Reform of Products Liability 542(3)

Reform in State Legislatures 542(1)

Reform in the United States Congress 543(2)

Damages 545(78)

Compensatory Damages 545(65)

Personal Injury 545(1)

Medical Expenses 545(1)

Williams v. Bright 546(6)

Coyne v. Campbell 552(4)

Problem 32 556(1)

Lost Earnings and Impairment of Earning Capacity 557(1)

The Basic Measure of Recovery 557(1)

Ruzzi v. Butler Petroleum Company 558(4)

Mauro v. Raymark Industries, Inc. 562(5)

Grayson v. Irvmar Realty Corp. 567(4)

Adjustments in Reaching the Final Recovery Figure 571(4)

Problem 33 575(1)

Pain, Suffering, and Other Intangible Elements 575(1)

Walters v. Hitchcock 575(5)

McDougald v. Garber 580(6)

Problem 34 586(9)

Jones v. Harris 595(5)

Mechanisms for Resolving Disputes: Settlement 600(2)

A Context-Based Theory of Strategy Selection in Legal Negotiations 602(4)

Donald G. Gifford

The Lawyer's Professional Responsibility: Problems of the Plaintiff's Lawyer in the Settlement Process 606(3)

Wrongful Death 609(1)

Injury to Personal Property 609(1)

Punitive Damages 610(13)

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company v. Campbell 612(11)

The Role of Liability Insurance in the Torts Process 623(24)

The Nature and Functions of Insurance Generally 624(3)

Insurance Law and Regulation: Cases and Materials 624(3)

Kenneth S. Abraham

Viewing the Tort System from a Loss-Distribution Perspective 627(6)

Twenty-First Century Insurance and Loss Distribution in Tort Law 627(6)

Kenneth S. Abraham

The Effects of Liability Insurance on the Torts Process 633(14)

The Insurance Company as the Real Party in Interest 634(1)

Shingleton v. Bussey 634(4)

Conflicts of Interest in the Defense and Settlement of Tort Claims 638(1)

Crisci v. Security Insurance Co. 639(5)

Problem 35 644(1)

The Lawyer's Professional Responsibility: Conflicts of Interest in Liability Insurance Cases 645(2)

Compensation Systems as Alternatives to the System of Tort Liability Based on Fault 647(34)

Workers' Compensation 648(15)

Anderson v. Save-A-Lot, Ltd. 650(5)

Problem 36 655(1)

Laidlow v. Hariton Machinery Co., Inc. 656(7)

Compensation for Victims of Automobile Accidents 663(9)

McKenzie v. Auto Club Insurance Association 665(7)

No-Fault: Beyond Work- and Automobile-Related Accident Losses 672(9)

Medical No-Fault 672(2)

More Sweeping Compensation Systems: The New Zealand Experience 674(3)

American Responses to National Disasters: The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund 677(4)

Dignitary Wrongs and Intentional Infliction of Mental Upset 681(42)

Offensive Battery 681(2)

Note: A Postscript on Intent 682(1)

Assault 683(2)

Read v. Coker 683(1)

Beach v. Hancock 684(1)

False Imprisonment 685(7)

Whittaker v. Sanford 685(2)

Rougeau v. Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. 687(1)

Coblyn v. Kennedy's, Inc. 688(3)

Sindle v. New York City Transit Authority 691(1)

Intentional Infliction of Mental Upset 692(31)

Insult and Outrage

William L. Prosser 692(1)

Mental and Emotional Disturbances in the Law of Torts 693(2)

Calvert Magruder

State Rubbish Collectors Association v. Siliznoff 695(5)

Samms v. Eccles 700(2)

Taylor v. Metzger 702(6)

Brandon v. County of Richardson 708(3)

Ford v. Revlon, Inc. 711(5)

Jones v. Clinton 716(4)

Problem 37 720(3)

Defamation 723(46)

The Traditional Law 723(26)

What Constitutes Defamation 724(1)

The General Standard 724(4)

Interpretation of the Statement 728(2)

Remedies 730(1)

Damages 730(1)

Special Damages 730(1)

General Damages 731(1)

Punitive Damages 731(1)

Retraction 732(1)

Injunctions 732(1)

The Libel-Slander Distinction 733(1)

Slander 734(1)

Libel 735(1)

Publication 736(2)

The Basis of Liability 738(1)

Defenses 739(1)

Privilege 740(5)

Truth 745(1)

Judge, Jury, and Burden of Proof 746(1)

Problem 38 747(2)

The Constitutional Issues 749(17)

Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc. 753(7)

Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co. 760(6)

Problem 39 766(1)

Legislative Reform of the Law of Defamation 766(3)

Invasion of Privacy 769(48)

Privacy 769(4)

William L. Prosser

Intrusion 773(10)

Hamberger v. Eastman 773(4)

Shulman v. Group W Productions, Inc. 777(6)

Public Disclosure of Private Facts 783(18)

Diaz v. Oakland Tribune, Inc. 783(9)

The Florida Star v. B.J.F. 792(9)

False Light 801(6)

Godbehere v. Phoenix Newspapers, Inc. 801(6)

Appropriation 807(10)

ETW Corporation v. Jereh Publishing, Inc. 809(8)

Commercial Torts: Misrepresentation and Interference with Business Relations 817(58)

Misrepresentation 817(36)

The Nature of the Defendant's Representation 819(1)

Adams v. Gillig 819(3)

Vulcan Metals Co. v. Simmons Manufacturing Co. 822(4)

Swinton v. Whitinsville Savings Bank 826(1)

Ingaharro v. Blanchette 827(4)

Scienter, Negligence, and Strict Liability 831(1)

Derry v. Peek 831(3)

International Products Co. v. Erie R.R. 834(3)

Johnson v. Healy 837(4)

Reliance and Contributory Negligence 841(1)

Pelkey v. Norton 841(3)

Corva v. United Services Automobile Association 844(2)

Liability to Third Persons 846(1)

Ultramares Corp. v. Touche 846(7)

Interference with Business Relations 853(22)

Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations 853(1)

Wilkinson v. Powe 853(7)

Intentional Interference with Prospective Contracts 860(1)

Tuttle v. Buck 860(3)

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Sturges 863(6)

Baker v. Dennis Brown Realty, Inc. 869(2)

Note: Wrongful Discharge of Employees at Will 871(4)

Global Dimensions of Tort Law 875(46)

The Extraterritorial Reach of Domestic Law 876(14)

Dow Chemical Company v. Castro Alfaro 877(13)

The Alien Tort Claims Act 890(12)

Sarei v. Rio Tinto, PLC 891(11)

Intergovernmental Liability in the Federal Context 902(7)

Missouri v. Illinois 902(4)

Illinois v. Milwaukee 906(3)

Intergovernmental Liability in the International Context 909(12)

Trail Smelter Arbitral Tribunal 911(5)

Nuclear Tests (New Zealand v. France) 916(3)

Problem 40 919(2)
Appendix: Introduction to Economic Analysis of Tort Law 921(8)
Table of Cases 929(12)
Index 941