Chapter 6
Intentional Torts and Privacy
N.B.: TYPE indicates that a question is new, modified, or unchanged, as follows.
N A question new to this edition of the Test Bank.
+ A question modified from the previous edition of the Test Bank.
= A question included in the previous edition of the Test Bank.
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
B1. Tort is a French word for “wrong.”
B2. The purpose of tort law is to punish criminal wrongdoers.
B3. Perpetrator is the term for a person who commits a tort.
B4. To commit an intentional tort, a person must intend to perform an act that causes
harm.
B5. Defense of others is a defense to an allegation of battery.
B6. False imprisonment is a legal term for “privilege to detain.”
B7. Repeated annoyances coupled with threats are sufficient to recover for the infliction
of emotional distress.
B8. Defamation involves wrongfully hurting a person’s good reputation.
B9. A person may not be liable for a defamatory statement if he or she enjoys a privilege.
B10. The use of a person’s likeness for commercial purposes without permission is not an
invasion of privacy.
B11. Puffery is fraud.
B12. Any lawful contract can form the potential basis for an action based on wrongful in–
terference with a contractual relationship.
B13. Malicious prosecution can occur if a party initiates a lawsuit out of malice.
B14. Competitive behavior is wrongful interference if it results in the breaking of a
contract.
B15. To commit trespass to land, a person must harm the land.
B16. If it can be shown that a trespass to personal property was warranted, a complete
defense exists.
B17. A failure to return personal property is conversion only if the rightful owner did not
consent to the initial taking.
B18. Publishing false information about another’s product is trade libel.
B19. Using the authority of a court, a plaintiff can obtain from an Internet service provider
the identity of a person responsible for a defamatory message.
B20. Federal law prohibits sending unsolicited commercial e-mail to randomly generated e–
mail addresses.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
B1. Louis—larger and stronger than Mica—threatens to hit Mica and then hits and injures
him. Mica files a suit against Louis for assault and battery. Mica will most likely
recover for
a. assault and battery.
b. assault but not battery.
c. battery but not assault.
d. not assault or battery.
B2. Ron, the manager of Sav-Mart Discount Store, detains Tina, whom Ron suspects of
shoplifting. Tina sues Ron, alleging that the detention was false imprisonment. Ron is
liable if Tina
a. did not actually shoplift.
b. had not shoplifted in the past.
c. had probable cause to leave the premises.
d. was detained for an unreasonably long time.
B3. Drew tells his Excel Company coworkers that Fiona, Excel’s office manager, is stealing
from their employer. The statement is defamatory only if
a. a coworker believes it.
b. Fiona suffers emotional distress.
c. the statement is true.
d. the statement is false.
B4. Glen falsely accuses Hu of stealing from Island Tours, Inc., their employer. Glen’s
statement is defamatory only if
a. a third party hears it.
b. Hu has not been caught.
c. the statement is puffery.
d. the statement is true.
B5. Toni files a suit against Universal Media Corporation for defamation. Actual malice
must be shown for recovery of damages if Toni is
a. a corporate officer.
b. a non-employee.
c. a private individual.
d. a public figure.
B6. Teresa is a celebrity. Without her permission, Sinclair Enterprises includes in an ad an
image that resembles her. Sinclair does not use Teresa’s name or actual likeness. This
is most likely
a. appropriation.
b. conversion.
c. no tort.
d. slander of quality.
B7. Nesbit publishes in a newspaper an account of the sex life of Merinda, who is not a
public figure. The information is true. This is most likely
a. an invasion of privacy.
b. defamation.
c. trespass to personal property.
d. wrongful interference with a contractual relationship.
B8. Lew angrily accuses Meg, a broker with New Financial Services, of fraudulently
inducing him to invest in Open Pit Oil Company, whose wells are dry. The reliance that
gives rise to liability for fraud is normally based on a statement of
a. emotion.
b. fact.
c. opinion.
d. puffery.
B9. Obie accuses Portia, a broker with QT Financial Services, of fraudulently inducing him to
invest in Riske Development Company, whose stock price declines in value. The reliance
that gives rise to liability for fraud requires
a. a subjective, not an objective, statement.
b. misrepresentation of a fact knowing that it is false.
c. puffery.
d. seller’s talk.
B10. Field Trenchers Inc. initiates a lawsuit against its competitor Master Excavators Inc.
out of malice and without probable cause. Master suffers a loss of profits due to the
litigation, but Field loses the suit. Field is most likely liable for
a. abuse of process.
b. malicious prosecution.
c. no tort.
d. wrongful interference with a business relationship.
B11. Oak Valley Mall contains two video game stores, Pirates Pick and Game Quest. Pirates’s
manager Ryan stands in the mall near Game Quest’s entrance to divert customers to his
store. Game Quest’s manager Sara asks Ryan to leave. He refuses. Ryan has committed
a. conversion.
b. no tort.
c. trespass to land.
d. wrongful interference with a business relationship.
B12. Bargain Bytes Computers, a computer store, takes unethical steps to divert the
customers of Cyber World, an adjacent competing store. Bargain Bytes may be liable
for
a. appropriation.
b. wrongful interference with a business relationship.
c. intentional infliction of ethical distress.
d. conversion.
B13. Superior Health Club’s marketing strategies entice many of Tone-Up Exercise Club’s
members to change clubs. After less than a year in business, Superior surpasses Tone–
Up in numbers of members. Superior is liable for
a. appropriation.
b. conversion.
c. no tort.
d. wrongful interference with a business relationship.
B14. Federico enters Gunther’s property to read an electric meter. Gunther charges
Federico with trespass to land. Federico has
a. a complete defense.
b. a partial defense.
c. a possible defense.
d. no defense.
B15. Levon leaves his truck at MakeRight Vehicle Shop for repair. When Levon refuses to pay for
the work, MakeRight refuses to give him possession of the truck. MakeRight has committed
a. malicious prosecution.
b. no tort.
c. trespass to personal property.
d. wrongful interference with a contractual relationship.
B16. Iona files a suit against Javier for conversion of property that Javier asserts he owns.
Javier will not be liable if he can show that
a. Iona has no intent to use the property.
b. Iona has no interest in the property.
c Javier did not damage the property.
d. Javier did not intend to keep the property.
B17. Dian, a clerk at an Entertainment Unlimited store, takes a video game player from the
store without permission. Dian is liable for
a. appropriation.
b. conversion.
c. disparagement of property.
d. wrongful interference with a business relationship.
B18. As a joke, Jem takes Kyla’s business law textbook and hides it so that Kyla cannot find
it during the week before the exam. Jem most likely committed
a. appropriation.
b. conversion.
c. intentional infliction of emotional distress.
d. trespass to personal property.
B19. City Times, a newspaper, knowingly publishes an article falsely stating that the
inventory of Walco, a discount store, consists of stolen goods. City Times is liable for
a. defamatory mischief.
b. malicious mischief.
c. slander of quality.
d. slander of title.
B20. April posts a defamatory note about Brad in an online newsgroup maintained by
Comp Online, Inc., an Internet service provider. Most likely to be held liable for the
remark is
a. April and Comp USA.
b. April only.
c. Comp USA only.
d. neither April nor Comp USA.
ESSAY QUESTIONS
B1. Stanford Engineering, Inc., and Cornell Code Corporation market competitive software
products. Stanford launches an advertising campaign claiming that Cornell, instead of
testing its software before it is marketed, has its customers “test” the software by
using it. Cornell knows this is not true but begins to lose sales to Stanford. On what
grounds could Cornell sue Stanford for injury to Cornell’s reputation?
B2. Omega Communications, Inc., is an Internet service provider. Product Promotions,
Inc., spams Omega’s customers, some of whom then cancel Omega’s services. On
what tort theory might Omega recover damages from Product Promotions?