Lahore University of Management Sciences. Law 222 Torts

Transcription

1 Law 222 Torts Fall 2017 Instructor Uzair Kayani Room No Office Hours By appointment Telephone X 5604 Secretary/TA TBD TA Office Hours TBD Course URL (if any) Course Basics Credit Hours 4 Lecture(s) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week 2 Duration 100 minutes each Recitation/Lab (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week Duration Tutorial (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week Duration Course Distribution Core BA/LLB Elective - Open for Student Category Open to All Close for Student Category None COURSE DESCRIPTION This course covers the modern law of torts. Tort liability imposes common law duties on parties that are not bound by contract. Since most private actions are not contracted for, and since common law duties are not assumed by choice or referendum, the law of torts is important to the functioning of a civilized society- it marks the boundaries of civil behavior. We will study materials from Pakistani, British, and American jurisdictions. The readings include court opinions, statutes, agency letters, scholarly articles, and excerpts from books. This diversity of sources reflects the myriad influences that shape the common law. COURSE PREREQUISITE(S) Law 102 Introduction to Pakistan Legal System and Law 101 Introduction to Legal Reasoning. COURSE OBJECTIVES Students will learn: legal reasoning: studying legal documents, synthesizing and distinguishing arguments, applying principles to new cases; Legal writing: presenting legal arguments with citations in clear, concise, and well-structured prose; Advocacy: Taking positions on legal questions and defending them extemproaneously in class. Learning Outcomes

2 Grading Breakup and Policy Assignment(s): 50 % (two research memoranda worth 25% each) Home Work: Quiz(s): Class Participation:15% (Socratic method) Attendance: Midterm Examination: Project: Final Examination: 35% (open notes; open book) Examination Detail Midterm Exam NO Final Exam Yes Duration: 3 hours Exam Specifications: open notes, open books, no internet access. COURSE OVERVIEW Week/ Lecture/ Module Topics Recommended Readings Objectives/ Application Lecture 1 Lecture 2 Lecture 3 Introduction Negligence; the Prima Facie Case; Duty Duty Continued: Special Relationships; Government Liability; the Good Samaritan Rule Prima Facie Case: A. Walter v. Walmart Stores, Inc. B. Karim Buksh v KESC * C. Excerpt: W. Farnsworth, Presumptions. * Duty in General: A. Weirum v. RKO General, Inc. (starting a chase) B. Boyd v. Racine Currency Exchange (criminal holdup) C. Excerpt: W. Farnsworth, Ex Ante and Ex Post. * Special Relationships: A. South v. Amtrak (assisting after hurting) B. Excerpt: W. Farnsworth, Least Cost Avoider. * Government Liability:

3 Lecture 4 Lecture 5 Lecture 6 A. Hassan Nawaz Khan v Municipal Corporation * B. Naseem Rashid Mirza v Municipal Committee * C. Nazir Hussain v Government of Sindh * D. CRS Report for Congress, 2007 : The Federal Tort Claims Act. * Good Samaritan Rule: A. Osterlind v. Hill (no duty to assist) B. Ocotillo West Joint Venture v. Duty Continued: Duty to Control Others; Duties of Landowners; Duty to Children and Attractive Nuisance; Duties to Licensees and Invitees; Duty regarding Infliction of Emotional Distress Standard of Care: The Reasonable Person; Res Ipsa Loquitur Evidence of Negligence; Negligence Per Se; Negligence, Industry Practices, and Custom; Theory of Negligence; Preview of Negligence vesus Strict Liability Superior Court * (helping too little) Conduct of Others: A. Theobold v. Dolcimascola (Russian Roulette) B. Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California (Dangerous mental patient) Landowners and Attractive Nuisance: A. Bramble v. Thompson * B. Bennett v. Stanley * Licensees and Invitees: A. Campbell v. Weathers (Business Invitee) B. Rowland v. Christian (Invitee, Licensee, Trespasser) C. California Civil Code 847 (Statute changes common law) Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress: A. Robb v. Pennsylvania Railroad Co. * The Reasonale Person: A. Vaughn v. Menlove (out of order/ reasonable person) B. Williams v. Hays * C. Rogers v. Retrum (reckless student driver) D. Excerpt: W. Farnsworth, Rules and Standards. Res Ipsa Loquitur: A. Byrne v. Boadle B. Ybarra v. Spangard * A. Gorris v. Scott (inferring negligence from unrelated statute) B. Breunig v. American Family Insurance Co. (spells of insanity) C. Martin v. Herzog (negligence per

4 Lecture 7 Lecture 8 Lecture 9 Debate Causation : Cause in Fact- The But For Test and the Substantial Factor Test; Multiple Tortfeasors; Apportionment of Liability Causation: Proximate Cause- Foreseeability; Intervening Causes Damages in Negligence Actions ; Pure Economic Loss Defenses in Negligence Actions: se) D. The T.J. Hooper (inferring negligence from business practices and custom) Theory of Negligence: A. U.S. v. Carroll Towing Co. (The Learned Hand Test) B. Article: Richard A. Posner, A Theory of Negligence C. Article: Richard A. Epstein A Theory of Strict Liability A. Zuchowicz v. United States * B. Beswick v. Carestat (loss of chance, emergency response) C. McDonald v. Robinson (multiple tortfeasors; driving) D. Kingston v. Chicago & Northwestern Railways (concurrent tortfeasors; fire) E. Government of Pakistan v. Ishrat Begum * F. Summers v. Tice (multiple tortfeasors; hunting G. Sindell v. Abbott Laboratories A. In re Polemis * B. Overseas Tankship (U.K.) Ltd. v. Morts Dock & Engineering Co., Ltd. (The Wagon Mound case No. 1) * C. Overseas Tankship (U.K.) Ltd. v. The Miller Steamship Co. (The Wagon Mound case No. 2) * D. Stasulat v. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. * E. Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad (foreseeability; zone of danger) F. Ryan v. New York Central Railroad Co. (negligent fire) Pure Economic Loss and Damages: A. Robins Dry Dock and Repair Co. v. Flint* B. Herskovits v. Group Health Defenses: A. Hunt v. Ohio DRC (snow machine) B. Li v. Yellow Cab Co. * C. Murphy v. Steeplechase Amusement Co. (constructive assumption)

5 D. Hulsey v. Elsinore Parachute Center (assumption by contract/disclaimer) E. Hiett v. Lake Barcroft Community Association (disclaimers versus public policy) Lecture 10 Lecture 11 Lecture 12 Intentional Torts: The Prima Facie Case Types of Intentional Torts: Battery; Assault; False Imprisonment; Types of Intentional Torts Continued: Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress; Trespass to Chattels; Conversion; Trespass to Land Defenses to Intentional Torts: Consent; Private Necessity; Public Necessity; Self-Defense; Defense of Others; Defense of Property; Privilrgr of Arrest; Discipline of Children Prima Facie Case: A. Vosburg v. Putney * Battery: A. Leichtman v. WLW Jacor (tobacco smoke) B. Bohrman v. Maine Yankee Atomic Power (radiation) Assault: A. I de S et Ux v. W de S False Imprisonment: A. Sousanis v. Northwest Airlines B. Martinez v. Martin Memorial (Dept. Store) C. Muhammad Yusuf Saleem v Muhammad Yasin * Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress: A. Wilson v. Monarch Paper (discrimination) B. Clinton v. Jones (sexual harassment) Trespass to Chattels and Conversion: A. Moore v. Regents of Uni. of California Trespass to Land: A. Kopka v. Bell Telephone B. Article: Trespass by Airplane C. Desnick v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. * Consent: A. Koffman v. Garnett Private Necessity: A. Vincent v. Lake Erie (dock in storm) Public Necessity: A. Surocco v. Geary (public conflagration) Self-Defense: A. Laidlaw v. Sage* Defense of Property: A. Katko v. Briney (Spring Gun case) Privilege of Arrest:

6 A. Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co v. Paul * Discipline of Children: A. Gibson v. Gibson * B. Gelbman v. Gelbman Immunities from Tort Action: Governmental Immunity: A. Berkovitz v. United States * Gonvernmental Immunity; Public Official Immunity; Familial Immunities; Charitable B. West Punjab Government v Pindi- Jhelum Valley Transport Ltd * C. Pakistan v Muhammad Yaqoob Lecture 13 Immunities Butt * Public Official Immunity: A. Clinton v. Jones * B. Harlow v. Fitzgerald * Familial and Charitable Immunities: A. Cowan v. Hospice Support Care, Inc. * Damages Recoverable for Intentional Torts: Compensatory Damages; Punitive (or Exemplary) Damages Compensatory Damages: A. Texaco v. Pennzoil Punitive Damages: A. National By-Products v. Searcy Lecture 14 House Moving B. Mathias v, Accor Economy Lodging C. State Farm v. Campbell D. Silkwood v. Kerr-McGee (Closing Arguments) Strict Liability: Scope of Agent s Actions A. Ira S Bushey & Sons v. United Vicarious Liability States * B. Lisa M. v. Henry Mayo Newhall (Divided Readings) Memorial Hospital * C. Kephart v. Genuity, Inc. * D. Petrovich v. Share Health Plan of Illinois, Inc. * E. Pakistan v Haji Abdul Razzaque * Liability Beyond the Scope of Lecture 15 Agency: Negligent Hiring A. Schechter v. Merchants Home Delivery, Inc. * Multiple Principals A. Charles v. Barrett * B. Morgan v. ABC Manufacturing * Limits on Principal s Liability A. Burlington Industries v. Ellerth * B. Article: Alan O. Sykes, The Economics of Vicarious Liability, 93 Yale L.J (1984) * Lecture 16 Strict Liability Continued: Abnormally Dangerous Activities:

7 Lecture 17 Lecture 18 Lecture 19 Lecture 20 Ultrahazardous Activities; Keeping Wild Animals; Products Liability Products Liability Continued: Alternative Theories of Product Liability; Torts versus Regulation; Expert Testimony Nuisance: Private Nusiance; Public Nusiance; Property Rights; Transactions Costs Dignitary Torts: Defamation; Invasion of Privacy Business Torts: A. Rylands v. Fletcher (out of order) B. Indiana Belt Harbor R.R. v. American Cyanimid Keeping Animals: A. Isaacs v. Monkeytown, U.S.A. Products Liability: The Least Cost Avoider A. Escola v. Coca Cola B. Greenman v. Yuba Power Products Design and Manufacture Defects A. Welge v. Planters Lifesavers Company (manufacturing defect; supply chain liability)* B. Dawson v. Chrysler (Design defect; designer liability)* Inadequate Warning: A. American Tobacco Co. v. Grinnell * Socialist Critique of Working Conditions (this is very lefty!) A. Excerpt: The Jungle Modern Regulatory Control A. FTC v. Phusion Products, LLC. B. FDA v. Phusion Products, LLC. PROOF OF CAUSATION : EXPERT TESTIMONY A. Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals * B. General Electric Co. v. Joiner * A. Copart Industries v. Consolidated Edison * B. Article: Ronald Coase, The Problem of Social Cost. C. Article: Calabresi & Melamed, Property Rules, Liability Rules, and Inalienability: One View of the Cathedral. Defamation: A. New York Times v. Sullivan * B. Bindrim v. Mitchell Invasion of Privacy: A. Briscoe v. Reader s Digest Association* B. Polydoros v. Twentieth Century Fox Films C. Shulman v. Group W D. Solano v. Playgirl, Inc. * (false light) Misrepresentation and Implied Warranty:

8 Lecture 21 Misrepresentation; Interference with Business Relations; Malicious Prosecution Economic Analysis of Accident Law A. Edgington v. Fitzmaurice * B. Committee on Children s Television v. General Foods Implied Warranties: A. April Enterprises v. KTTV (fair dealing and fiduciary duties) Ommissions: A. Swinton v. Whitinsville Savings Bank * B. In re Acosta * Interference with Business Relations: A. Calbom v. Knutdzon B. Speakers of Sport v. ProServ Malicious Prosecution A. Albertson v. Raboff * A. Article: Steven Shavell, Economic Analysis of Accident Law. * Lecture 22 Lecture 23 Lecture 24 Lecture 25 Lecture 26 Tort Theory Continued: Strict Liability versus Negligence Tort Theory Continued: Causation and Foreseeability Class Action Lawsuits; No Fault Insurance From Misrepresentation to Fraud on the Market. Regulation vs. Tort A. Article: Schafer et al, Strict Liability vs. Negligence * B. Article: Richard Epstein, Toward a General Theory of Tort Law Strict Liability in Context. * A. Article: Kornhauser & Revesz, Joint Tortfeasors. * B. Article: Omri Ben-Shahar, Causation and Foreseeability. * C. Article: Kraakman, Vicarious and Corporate Civil Liability. * A. Article: John Coffee: Class Wars: The Dilemma of the Mass Tort Class Action. * B. Article: Richard Epstein, Class Actions: Aggregation, Amplification, and Distortion. C. Article: Ian McEwin, No Fault Compensation Systems. * A. Basic v. Levinson * B. Article: Langevoort, Basic at Twenty: Rethinking Fraud-on-the- Market. * A. Article: Susan Rose-Ackerman Regulation and the Law of Torts. *

9 A. Article: Shavell & Polinsky, The Lecture 27 Uneasy Case for Products Liability. * Products Liability B. Article: Goldberg & Zipursky, The Easy Case for Products Liability. * Lecture 28 Examination GOOD LUCK! Textbook(s)/Supplementary Readings Readings marked with an asterisk (*)will be distributed in a reading packet. Unmarked readings are in the freely available two-volume torts casebook: Eric E. Johnson, A Torts Compendium (2010) Electronic copy available at: or Please obtain a hard or electronic copy of the casebook.