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What Does Tort Mean?
Generally, Torts Are Wrongdoings That Involve Negligently, Intentionally, or Recklessly, Improper Conduct, That Provide a Legal Right to the Person Harmed to Bring Litigation For Compensation. Negligence, Defamation, Breach of Privacy, Are Examples of...
Understanding the Various Wrongdoings That Constitute As Tortious Conduct and May Lead to Legal Proceedings
Most people will have a vague understanding of various tort law issues despite lacking knowledge of the actual definition of tort law. The word tort, while funny sounding, is actually a word derived from the Latin word tortum which, loosely translated, means wrongdoing. In the realm of law, tort is a civil law matter other than breach of contract, or breach of fiduciary duty, and involves the right to sue for compensation, among other things.
It is generally believed that the first use of the word tort within a legal proceeding was within the case of Boulston v. Hardy, (1597), 77 E.R. 216, during the time when Galileo was still alive.
Examples, types of cases
Within the area of tort law are commonly recognized legal matters such as the issue of negligence for failure to keep walkways safe resulting in slip and fall injuries to pedestrians; however, tort law also involves many other legal issues that may occur negligently, intentionally or recklessly, and some even innocently, including the wrongful conduct of such as barratry, conversion, detinue, champerty, maintenance, passing off, conspiracy, some of which may be unfamiliar without diligent review to even very experienced legal professionals.
“... I include myself among those who had never heard of the tort of barratry ...”
~ C.A. Osborne A.C.J.O.
McIntyre Estate v. Ontario, 2001 CanLII 7972 (ON CA)
As above, even a highly experienced and knowledgeable Court of Appeal judge can be unfamiliar with all aspects of tort law; and accordingly, with dozens of legally recognized torts applicable to various forms of wrongdoing, it is necessary to carefully review the relevant law prior to bringing litigation as a Plaintiff or prior to preparing a defence strategy as a Defendant.