Advanced Torts: Dignitary & Economic Torts
Topics to be covered:
I.
Vicarious Liability
a. Chorey, Taylor & Feil, P.C. v. Clark, 539 S.E.2d 139 (Ga. 2000):
b. O’Toole v. Carr, 786 A.2d 121 (N.J. Super. A.D. 2001:
c. Lyon v. Carey, 533 F.2d 649 (D.C. Cir. 1976):
d. Goodman v. Holmes & McLaurin Attorneys at Law, 665 S.E.2d 526 (N.C. App.
2008):
e. Federal S&L Ins. Corp. v. McGinnis, Juban, Bevan, Mullin, 808 F. Supp. 1263
(E.D. La. 1992):
f. Pusey v. Bator, 762 N.E.2d 968 (0hio 2002):
g. Kersten v. Van Grack, Axelson & Williamowsky, P.C., 608 A.2d 1270 (Md. App.
1992):
h. Mendel v. Home Ins. Co., 806 F.Supp. 1206 (E.D. Pa. 1992):
NOTES:
Respondeat superior
1. Employer May Be Responsible for Acts of Employees
Essential Elements:
Negligent person was employed by defendant.
Negligent person was acting within scope of employment, or employer authorized
the employee to act tortuously or
employer later ratified employee’s tortious acts.
Amount of actual damages.
The courts have said that an employee acts within the scope of his employment if his actions
were for the purpose of in some way furthering the business of the employer. The courts have
applied this standard in a somewhat mechanical fashion, focusing on WHAT the employee was
doing—assigned duties (albeit in a tortious fashion) or something else?
II.
Fiduciary Duties (malpractice, etc.)
a. Costa v. Allen, 274 S.W. 3d 461, 462 (Mo. 2008).
b. Burrow v. Arce, 997 S.W.2d 229 (Tex. 1999):
c. Stanley v. Richmond, 35 Cal. App. 4th 1070 (1995):
d. So v. Suchanek, 670 F.3d 1304 (D.C. Cir. 2012):
e. Starr v. Fordham, 648 N.E.2d 1261 (Mass. 1995):
f. Fassihi v. Sommers, Schwartz, Silver, Schwartz & Tyler, P.C., 309 N.W.2d 645
g. Chem-Age Indus., Inc. v. Glover, 652 N.W.2d 756 (S.D. 2002):
NOTES:
To recover against a defendant for a claim of breach of fiduciary duty, you must prove all
the following by a preponderance of the evidence:
1. The defendant was acting as a fiduciary of the plaintiff with respect to the subject matter
involved;
2. The defendant breached a fiduciary duty owed to the plaintiff;
3. The plaintiff suffered an injury; and
4. The defendant’s breach of fiduciary duty caused the plaintiff’s injuries.
III.
Defamation and related constitutional issues
a. Marcone v. Penthouse International Magazine for Men, 754 F.2d 1072 (3d Cir.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.
IV.
1985):
James v. Gannett Co., 40 N.Y.2d 415 (N.Y. 1976):
Ratner v. Young, 465 F. Supp.386 (D.C. Virgin Islands 1979):
Rosenblatt v. Baer, 383U.S. 75, 81, (1966).
Handelmn v. Hustler Magazine, Inc., 469 F.Supp. 1048 (S.D.N.Y. 1978):
Marcone, 754 F.2d 1072 (1985):
New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964):
Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323 (1974):
Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. v. Greenmoss Builders, Inc., 472 U.S. 749 (1985):
Tague v. Citizens for Law & Order, 142 Cal.Rptr. 689 (Cal. Super. 1977):
Wolston v. Readers Digest Ass’n Inc., 443 U.S. 157 (1979):
Ratner v. Young, 465 F.Supp. 386 (D.C. Virgin Islands 1979):
Marcone v. Penthouse, 754 F.2d 1072 (3d Cir. 1985):
Mlikovich v. Lorain Jounral Co., 497 U.S. 1 (1990):
Fraudulent & negligent misrepresentation
a. Schlaifer Nance & Co. Inc. v. Estate of Warhol, 927 F. Supp. 650 (S.D.N.Y.
1996):
b. Wright v. Pennamped, 657 N.E.2d 1223 (Ind. App. 1995):
c. Presidio Enterprises, Inc. v. Warner Bros. Distributing Corp., 784 F.2d 674 (5th
Cir. 1986):
d. Fire Ins. Exch. v. Bell, 643 N.E.2d 310 (Ind. 1994):
e.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
Bad debt collection practices, common law & federal remedies
Deceptive business practices
Interference with contract funds
Privacy issues
Professional negligence
I.
II.
III.
VICARIOUS LIABILITY
FIDUCIARY DUTIES (malpractice, etc)
DEFAMATION AND RELATED CONSTITUINAL ISSUES
-
Restatement (Second) of Torts § 577 (1977)
(1) Publication of defamatory matter is its communication intentionally or by a negligent act to
one other than the person defamed.
(2) One who intentionally and unreasonably fails to remove defamatory matter that he knows to
be exhibited on land or chattels in his possession or under his control is subject to liability for its
continued publication.
IV.
FRAUDULENT & CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES