Define Intentional Tort.

Define Intentional Tort.

• A. A type of criminal act.
• B. An act committed accidentally to cause damages.
• C. A strict liability tort.
• D. An act committed intentionally to cause damages.

Answer: (D)

Intentional torts are civil wrongs where the person performs an act on purpose that results in harm to another. The essential element is the intent to perform the act itself, or the knowledge with substantial certainty that harm will follow. That’s why describing it as an act committed intentionally to cause damages fits best: the action is deliberate and aimed at causing a loss or injury. This contrasts with doing something accidentally, which would point to negligence or an unintentional act, not an intentional tort. It also differs from a strict liability tort, where liability arises without regard to intent or fault—the focus is on the act or product itself, not the defendant’s state of mind. And while some intentional torts overlap with crimes, tort law itself is a civil remedy for damages rather than a criminal act, so labeling it as a criminal act isn’t precise.

Intentional torts are civil wrongs where the person performs an act on purpose that results in harm to another. The essential element is the intent to perform the act itself, or the knowledge with substantial certainty that harm will follow. That’s why describing it as an act committed intentionally to cause damages fits best: the action is deliberate and aimed at causing a loss or injury.

This contrasts with doing something accidentally, which would point to negligence or an unintentional act, not an intentional tort. It also differs from a strict liability tort, where liability arises without regard to intent or fault—the focus is on the act or product itself, not the defendant’s state of mind. And while some intentional torts overlap with crimes, tort law itself is a civil remedy for damages rather than a criminal act, so labeling it as a criminal act isn’t precise.