False Imprisonment

False imprisonment is intentional confinement without lawful privilege and without consent.

Representative cases

• Renk v. City of Pittsburgh 641 A.2d 289 · Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Nelson v. Winnebago Industries, Inc. 619 N.W.2d 385 · Supreme Court of Iowa
• Tiede v. State 915 P.2d 500 · Utah Supreme Court

Related Intentional Torts rules

• Intentional Torts: IntentIntent exists when defendant acts with purpose or knowledge to a substantial certainty that harm will occur.
• Battery: ElementsBattery requires intent, harmful or offensive contact, and that contact be with plaintiff's person.
• Assault: ElementsAssault is intentional act creating reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact.
• Intentional Infliction of Emotional DistressIIED requires extreme and outrageous conduct intended or recklessly causing severe emotional distress.
• Trespass to LandTrespass to land requires intentional physical invasion of plaintiff’s real property.
• Trespass to ChattelsTrespass to chattels involves intentional interference with another’s possessory rights causing actual harm.
• ConversionConversion requires intentional dominion or control over chattel that seriously interferes with plaintiff’s rights.
• Consent DefenseConsent bars liability when plaintiff voluntarily and knowingly agrees to defendant’s conduct.

Part of Torts on Core Legal Rules — foundational MBE-tested principles with primary-source citations.