Law of Torts (Final Draft)
Law of Torts (Final Draft)
Law of Torts (Final Draft)
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SEMESTER: 1ST
I hereby declare that the work reported in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) Project Report entitled “Right
to free legal aid” submitted at Chanakya National Law University is an authentic record of my
work carried out under the supervision of Mrs. Sushmita Singh. I have not submitted this work
elsewhere for any other degree or diploma. I am fully responsible for the contents of my Project
Report.
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completing the project.
I would like to express my gratitude towards my parents & member of Chanakya National Law
University for their kind co-operation and encouragement which help me in completion of this
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SEMESTER: 1ST
INDEX
1. INTRODUCTION
2. DEFINATION
3. INTENTION IN TRESPASS TO BODY
4. ESSENTIALS OF TRESPASS TO BODY
5. CASE LAWS REALTED TO TRESPASS TO BODY
6. CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. INTRODUCTION
The tort of trespass to person has developed as it is today is a result of many changes and
modifications. In early English law, a physical interference with the person was given special
protection, partly to avoid the unhappy consequences of people taking the law into their own
hands by revenge attacks. Untill the abolition of the old forms of action in the 19th century;
direct attacks upon the person were protected by the action of trespass, which required no proof
of damage. Indirect interference with the person was protected by the action on the case, which
did require proof of damage.
Today, the basic position is that direct and intentional acts of interference are still dealt with by
the tort of trespass, while indirect and unintentional acts fall under the tort of negligence.
However, the situation is more complex than this suggests and some authorities suggest that even
in trespass the claimant must now establish intention or negligence in addition to the act of
interference.
HYPOTHESIS
The researcher tends to believe that a civil court is competent to maintain a claim for trespass to
body.
Trespass To Person:
Definition:
Interference, however slight with a person’s elementary civil right to security of person, and self-
determination in relation to his own body, constitutes trespass to person. Trespass may be done
intentionally, deliberately or negligently. The fundamental principle plain and incontestable law
is that every person’s body is inviolate.
2. Battery, " intentional and unpermitted contact with the plaintiff's person or anything attached
to it and practically identified with it";and
Thus, it can be summarized that any unreasonable interference with a person without any lawful
justification amounts to trespass to person. The basic idea behind trespass to person is that every
person’s body is inviolate.
Under the old law, whenever injury was caused to another by a person by direct and immediate
application of force, the plaintiff could sue the defendant in trespass to person, without alleging
negligence, whereas if the injury was only consequential he had to sue in case.
But now instead of dividing the action for personal injuries into trespass (direct damage) or case
(consequential damage) the cause of action itself is divided. The thing which is now taken into
account is whether the act of trespass was done intentionally or unintentionally.
Thus a person in order to establish a suit for trespass to person need to proof just one thing
whether there was an intention to commit the trespass or not.
Facts
Mr. Cooper (the defendant) negligently ran over Mrs Letang (the plaintiff) in his car while she
was sunbathing on a piece of grass where cars were parked. The plaintiff filed a claim in trespass
1
Letang v Cooper [1965] 1 QB 232
to the person, because the claim in Negligence was time-barred. Trespass to the person is a tort
involving wrongful direct interference with another person and traditionally included both
intentional and negligent acts.
Judgment
The Court of Appeal, consisting of Lord Denning MR, Diplock LJ and Danckwerts LJ, held
unanimously that since Mr. Cooper's actions were negligent rather than intentional, the statute of
limitations barring claims actions for damage caused by negligence applied. Mr. Letang could
not recover her damages because her claim was late.
Effect
The effect of this case was that an action for trespass to the person can now only be brought for
intentional torts, such as assault, battery, false imprisonment, trespass to land or chattels, etc. A
claimant wishing to recover damages to his person or property that were caused by the
defendant's negligent action must prove all the elements of the tort of negligence.
Intention:
An act does not constitute trespass to person unless it is done with intention. Thus intention is the
chief criteria for trespass to person.
If there is an intention behind committing a trespass then it is actionable per se and the plaintiff
need not proof any specific or particular damage.
In negligent commission of trespass to person, plaintiff need to proof that injuries so complaint
of are reasonably foreseeable. In case of direct trespass or intentional trespass proof of actual
damage is not necessary but in negligent torts, proof of damage becomes essential.
Assault: It is the causing of unreasonable apprehension of body injury and damage in the mind
of another person and usually a prelude to a battery. It can be given effect in a way that would
make certain actions and indications as suggestive of assault by another. It can be both direct and
indirect. It can be carried out by the person himself or through a third person.
Intent
Apparent ability to carry out the purpose
Apprehension
Knowledge of threat
An example of foreseeability in trespass: A man directing a gun and about to trigger it, behind
a person is not foreseeable to the person. This can’t be said to be an assault as there is no
apprehension in the mind of that person that somebody is doing such an act which would instill
fear in him.
Case Laws:
Stephen v. Myers:
In Stephen v Myers (1830), the Claimant was a chairman at a meeting sat at a table where the
Defendant was sat. There were six or seven people between the Claimant and Defendant. The
Defendant was disruptive and a motion was passed that he should leave the room. The Defendant
said he would rather pull the chairman out of his chair and immediately advanced with his fist
clenched towards the Claimant but was stopped by the man sat next to the chairman. It seemed
that his intention was to hit the Claimant. The Defendant argued that there was no assault as he
had no power to carry out his threat as there were people in between. The court said that not
every threat is an assault. There needs to be a means of carrying that threat into effect: it must a
realistic threat of personal violence . The judge directed the jury (as juries were still in use at the
time) that if the Defendant could have reached the chairman and hit him there was an assault. But
if the Defendant did not have the intention of hitting the Claimant, or it was not realistic that he
could reach the Claimant, then there is no assault. The jury found for the Claimant.
2
Sec 351 of Indian penal Code 1860
Read v. Coker:
In Read v Coker (1853) the Claimant was told to leave the premises where he conducted his
business. He refused and the Defendant collected some workmen who stood near the Claimant
with their sleeves rolled up and told him that they would not break his neck if he didn't leave. He
did leave and later brought a successful claim for assault as there was a threat of violence and the
means to carry it out. However, not every conditional threat will be an assault.
In this case, the plaintiff, a well to do agriculturist, was in arrears of land revenue. The village
music , who had duty to collect amount , went to the plaintiff’s residence for the collection of the
amount. On demand being made the plaintiff pleaded his inability to pay the amount that as the
wife had locked the house and gone out for a few days. The defendant insisted to have the
payment the very day, that being the last day of the year for collection of the revenue the plaintiff
was told that on his failure to pay , his movable property will be distained. Since the plaintiff’s
house was locked and no other movables were readily available, the defendant told him that the
earnings which the plaintiff was wearing would be distained. The village gold smith was called.
On the arrival of the gold smith , one of the persons present there paid off the amount due from
the plaintiff by borrowing the same from another person. The defendants than went away quietly.
The plaintiff sued the village music stating that apart from other wrongs the defendant had
committed assault.
Judgment: It was held that since the defendants, after the arrival of the gold smith said nothing
and did nothing and the threat of use of force by the gold smith to the plaintiff was too remote a
possibility to have put the plaintiff in fear of immediate or instant violence. There was no assault.
Battery: The use of force on the person of another without lawful justification. Battery consists
of touching another person hostilely or against his will directly or indirectly, however, slightly.
Direct force can be like slapping a person whereas indirect force is like setting a dog behind a
person or spitting on a person. Battery corresponds to ‘use of criminal force’ according to
Section 350 of the Indian Penal Code3. What is necessary is that the wrongful act must involve
physical contact.
3
Sec 350 of Indian penal code 1860
It must be voluntary
Accidental touch or push in the market is not wrongful and does not constitute battery.
Case Laws :
Wilson v. Pringle:
The Claimant and Defendant were both schoolboys involved in an incident in a school corridor
which resulted in the Claimant falling and being injured. The Defendant argued that there was no
battery as this involves deliberate touching with hostility and the intent to inflict injury and
horseplay did not involve such intent. The Claimant argued that there merely had to be an
intentional touching. The court held that battery involved an intentional touching with hostility,
but no intent to cause injury. The court considered whether a better test would be implied
consent or a test based on how common the actions are in daily life. These will be useful
considerations but ultimately the touching must be 'hostile'.
False Imprisonment: When someone’s way is restricted unlawfully from all possible directions
so as to prevent him/her from moving in a direction for some period, however short, it is called
false imprisonment. In the Indian Penal Code, it is defined as wrongful confinement.
Article 22 of the Indian Constitution provides for protection against unlawful arrest and casts an
obligation upon the state to follow due procedure while carrying out arrest related activities4.
4
D. K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997) 6 SCC 642
Section 43, CrPC provides for arrest by a private person if the offender is a proclaimed habitual
offender and is alleged to be liable for a cognizable and non-bailable offence.
Case Laws:
Bird v. Jones:
In Bird v Jones (1845), the Defendant's employer had appropriated part of Hammersmith Bridge
to watch a race on the river. The Claimant tried to pass through the appropriated part and
managed to enter the enclosure. The Defendant put two police officers to block his path and
prevent him from entering further into the enclosure. He was told that he could go back but not
forward. After half an hour the Claimant tried to push past whereupon he committed an assault
on the Defendant and was arrested. The court said that it is false imprisonment for a person to be
forced to stay in a place just as much as locking them in a room. There need not be any touching
either. However, it cannot be an false imprisonment to prevent a person from going forward but
allowing them to return the way they came, even if it is unlawful to stop them. The person no
doubt suffers a wrong but not false imprisonment possibly assault or battery if he is threatened or
touched as he tries to get past. "Imprisonment is a total restraint of the liberty of the person, for
however short a time and not a partial obstruction of his will, whatever inconvenience it may
bring him."
Meering v. Graham:
Meering was held in a room and questioned, because his employer though him to be a thief. It
was a false imprisonment and he go got more money because he knew he was being kept there
1. Consent Of Plaintiff
2. Contributory Negligence
3. Self-Defence
4. Statutory Authority
5. Necessity
6. Inevitable Accident
If the claimant consented either expressly or impliedly to the torts of assault and battery, there
will be a complete defense.
However it is unclear whether consent is a true defense or whether it is for the claimant to prove
lack of consent in order to succeed in the first place as was decided in freeman v. home office5.
A prisoner serving a life term claimed that psychoactive drugs were administered forcibly to him
by officials; further, that even if he had consented, his consent was not legally adequate because
he was not told the nature of the treatment or the risks involved. The court rejected the claim of
coercion and ruled that the plaintiff had consented to the administration of drugs, since he had
been informed in broad terms of the purpose of the treatment
The patient who consents to receiving medical treatment is consenting to the torts of assault and
battery a d possibly false imprisonment in some cases. This is not the same as consenting to a
negligent treatment.
Patients who are about to undergo surgery are asked to sign a standard consent form. Patients
who go to the doctor or attend hospital for treatments other tan surgery, for example, for
5
Freeman v Home Office (No 2): [1984] 1 QB 524
treatment with medicines or various forms of therapy are taken to have given implied consent
merely by consulting the doctor.
There are two possible claims available to patients who allege that they have been treated
without consent:
1. If a doctor treats patients against their will or by giving a different treatment to that for which
consent has been given, he or she commit’s the torts of assault and battery. It is only in very
limited circumstances that these tort claims are available. Thus, if a patient refuses treatment
which doctors consider necessary, it has become the practice to seek the advice of the court.
Thus in order for consent to be real, the patient must be broadly aware of the type
Of treatment and when and where it will be given freely, without duress or misrepresentation as
to nature of the treatment..
In Appleton v. garrett6 in which a dentist carried out extensive and unnecessary treatment.
If the case is one in which the patient has been made aware of the type of treatment but the
doctor has failed to give a sufficient detail of the risks involved, the patient would only have a
remedy in negligence.
Contributory Negligence
When there is a negligence of plaintiff included in the act, then defendant’s liability can be
mitigated to the extent and compromise can be arrived at or liability can be divided.
Self Defence
It is lawful for any person to use a reasonable degree of force for the protection of himself or any
other person against any unlawful use of force. The key to successful defense of self-defence is
the element of reasonableness, as the defence will operate if the force used by the defendant is
proportionate to that being applied by an attacker.
6
Appleton and others v Garrett [1996] PIQR P1 1996
Unnecessary- i.e. Greater than is requisite for the purpose.
Disproportionate to the evil to be prevented.
In revill v. newbury7, it was held that the firing of a shot through a hole in a door in the direction
of a trespasser, causing serious injury, was excessive force and the defence of self- defence could
not apply.
The defence is probably limited to situations in which the defendant reasonably believes that an
attack is likely.
Three British soldiers in Kosovo shot two men and wounded two others traveling together in a
car. The Ministry of Defence was vicariously liable as the soldiers' employer.Baci and Baci
brought claims in trespass to the Person and negligence, while the soldiers defence was self-
defence.
In the case of trespass to the Person, the court held that even though the soldiers had managed to
shoot a man they were not aiming at, it was a case of transferred intent and that battery had been
committed. The claim for assault on the other men failed because in the eyes of the court there
had been no actual intent to make the rest of the party fear for their lives(!). They had missed
their target (the man carrying the gun) and shot someone else, but not intentionally.
Statutory Authority
Apart from the statutory powers of arrest, parliament has authorized medical examinations or
tests which would otherwise constitute a serious battery. E.g. Breath tests under the road traffic
act 1988, section 69, or blood test under sections 20 and 23 of the family law reforms act 196910.
10
The Family Law Reform Act 1969, https://www.jstor.org/stable/758215?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Consent to the taking of bodily samples from detainees
A number of procedures carried out at police stations to assist criminal investigations can only be
undertaken with the consent of the suspect or the permission of a senior officer , at least the rank
of superintendent. Intimate samples, such swabs from bodily orifices may only be taken with the
permission in writing, of suspect. Non intimate samples , such as finger nail scrapings can only
be taken after the suspect has given written permission
As long as the correct procedures are followed , there will be a defence to an action brought
against the police for assault and battery , and the strict rules concerning written consent are
important safeguards for suspects.
Lawful arrest doesn’t amount to false imprisonment whether it is a citizen’s arrest or is carried
out by a police officer. Under section1 of PACE 198411 , the police have a power to stop and
search persons whom they reasonably suspect may be carrying stolen or prohibited articles. Such
a power to stop people in the street in full view of the public is regarded as a serious
infringement of personnel freedom is seen by many as being unjustifiable.
In Murray vs. ministry of defence 12 it has been explained as what constitutes a lawful arrest.
An arrest made within the powers granted by statute and common law.
A reasonable suspicion on the part of the person making the arrest. This requirement is
also present in case of search and stop
Force which is used must be in proportion to the amount of force exerted by the suspect.
People may only be kept in custody during the investigation of crimes according to the
conditions and time limits laid down in the legislation, until such time as it is possible to charge
them. If there is not enough evidence to charge the suspect when regular custody reviews are
made, and it is unlikely that further questioning will lead to a charge, the custody officer must
order the suspect to be released. If a person is charged with an offence, he or she must be brought
11
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/contents
12
[1988] 2 All ER 521
a court as soon as possible and will be remanded in custody or on bail, or, alternatively may be
released on police bail.
If excessive force is used in making an arrest , even if the arrest itself is lawful in that it complies
with common law or provisions of PACE 1984, there will be grounds for a claim of assault,
battery or false imprisonment.
The reasonability of force in a question of fact . This particular fact has been explained in this
case.
Necessity
Necessity could also amount to defence to a claim for false imprisonment. The test for deciding
whether measures falling short of arrest could lawfully be taken against individuals was whether
there was a reasonable suspicion that that individual was presenting a particular threats. The
burden of proof was on the claimant to show that the exercise of discretion to detain was
unreasonable.
The claimant’s detention didn’t amount to a deprivation of liberty within article 5(1) but in this
instance it would be justified under article 5(1) because the detention was imposed with the
purpose of arresting people whom it would be lawful an practicable police to consider that
everyone in the cordon , including the claimants , were demonstrators and might be about to
commit a breach of the peace. The claimants had been falsely imprisoned, but that measure that
had been necessary for the protection of everyone involved , in order to contain the crowd until
safe dispersal could be arranged. Although the claimants were vindicated in part, judgment was
entered for defendants.
Inevitable Accident
13
[1980] 1 WLR 172, [1980] 1 All ER 166
Inevitable accident provides a good excuse for a prima facie trespass which is otherwise
actionable. An inevitable accident has been defined as an event over which the defendant had no
control and the effects of which could not have been avoided by the exercise of the greatest care
and skill. This may be said to be the generally accepted view since Stanley v. Powell
In this case the defendant while firing at a pheasant accidentally and without negligence shot the
plaintiff, who was employed to carry cartridges for a shooting party, with a pellet which
ricocheted from a tree at a considerable angle. This case might have been decided on the ground
that the plaintiff had voluntary accepted the risk by joining the party. But it was held that even if
the action was in trespass, not case, the injury being accidental the defendant could not be liable.
A person who disturbs public worship or a public meeting or a lawful game may be lawfully
removed. Here the force used shouldn’t be more than what is necessary. Every citizen in whose
presence a breach of peace is being or reasonably appears to be about to be committed has the
right to take reasonable steps to make the person who is breaking or threatening to break the
peace refrain from doing so; and those steps in appropriate cases will include detaining him
against his will.
Remedies:
Damages:
The usual remedies sought for trespass to the person is damages, and as has seen there may be an
award of aggravated and exemplary damages in an appropriate case. Justification for an assault, a
person is liable for the direct consequences flowing from the wrongful injury caused. When the
assault has been carried to the extent of maiming or crippling or of wounding a person, damages
will be greater than those awarded for a mere assault or battery.
In the case of a joint assault, the true criterion of damages is the whole injury which the plaintiff
has sustained from the joint act of trespass.
Lord delving while dealing with a case of false imprisonment has observed that the court is not
in this category of case confined to awarding compensation for loss of liberty and for physical
and mental distress as it thinks may have been caused. It is also proper for it to make any
departure from constitutional practice, even only a slight one, by exemplary damages.
The more highhanded and less reasonable the detention is the larger may be the damages; and
conversely the more nearly reasonably the difference may have acted, the smaller will be the
proper assessment. The assessment will include compensation for indignity, mental suffering,
disgrace, and loss of social status and reputation.
Self-Help:
It is also a very important remedy available in the case of trespass to person. For example, a
person who has been falsely imprisoned may escape, and someone who has been falsely
imprisoned may escape, and someone who has been unlawfully arrested may resist arrest by use
of reasonable force.
Habeas Corpus:
The ancient prerogative remedy of habeas corpus is theoretically available for false
imprisonment, though this is remedy sought today. This would mean an application to the
divisional court for an order to release the person unlawfully detained, and is only sought in
emergency cases.
CONCLUSION
Trespass to person is a general tort which is faced in our day to day life. People suffer a
lot of difficulties because of this acts but due to unawareness they don’t file suits of
trespass to person even though when a suffer harm due to this interferences. In fact, in
Indian society people are so much unaware of their rights that they go on facing problems
without protesting. In contrast to these the American society is so litigant society that
people file suits even for minor trespass cases also. Since the body of every person is
inviolate any person don’t has the right to interfere with the body of an individual either
directly or indirectly.
In this project an attempt has been made to cover almost each and every aspect related to
trespass to person. Every concept has been elaborately explained so that there does not
remain a single doubt related to Trespass to person. Special emphasis has been given on
the defenses to the trespass to person. Further the most important thing I.e. the relevance
of intention has also been explained in this case.
Trespass to person is a tort which is sometimes confused with other torts like Negligence.
So in this case it becomes essential to file a right suit to get a right remedy.
Thus, it is very necessary to understand the difference between the situations where an
act may amount to trespass or where it may not. Through this way only we will be able to
exercise our rights and duties.
Thus, knowledge about trespass and its defenses is one of the important concept
knowledge of which will be fruitful for the individuals as well as for the society.
Keeping these facts in mind this project is an attempt to explain the various concepts
related to trespass to person and its defenses has been explained so that the concept will
help people to exercise their rights and duties.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
WEBSITES
1. http://www.legalservicesindia.com/article/article/concept-of-trespass-to-person-1073-
1.html
2. https://blog.ipleaders.in/trespass-meaning-nature-types-defenses-case-laws/
3. http://www.healthlawcentral.com/decisions/trespass-person/
4. https://www.inbrief.co.uk/offences/trespass-to-person/
5. https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/jurisprudence/trespass-to-person.php