TORT LAW
Tort Law Summary
ZINA AL JOUBORI
THE HAGUE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCINCES
, International Bachelor of Law 2019-2020
Course
Law Summary
Program 151515 Tort Law Y1 – Q2
By Zina Al Joubori
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 2
• Vocabulary and terms of art: ..................................................................................................................2
• The quest of European Ius Commune: ...................................................................................................5
Intention & Negligence DCFR .............................................................................................................. 6
• Intention ...................................................................................................................................................6
• Negligence ................................................................................................................................................9
Causation & Defense DCFR ................................................................................................................ 12
• Causation ............................................................................................................................................... 12
• Defense ................................................................................................................................................... 14
Strict liability &Remedies and damages DCFR ................................................................................... 18
• Damages ................................................................................................................................................. 22
• Remedies ................................................................................................................................................ 24
Intention & Negligence – Common Law.............................................................................................. 26
• Intention ................................................................................................................................................. 26
• Negligence .............................................................................................................................................. 27
Causation & Defense – Common Law ................................................................................................. 29
• Defense ................................................................................................................................................... 30
Strict Liability & Damages and Remedies – Common Law.................................................................. 31
• Strict Liability ........................................................................................................................................ 31
Common Law - Rylands v. Fletcher [1868] UKHL 1................................................................................ 33
• Damages & Remedies ............................................................................................................................ 33
List of Required Cases ......................................................................................................................... 36
Comparative Overview ......................................................................................................................... 37
1
, International Bachelor of Law 2019-2020
Course
Law Summary
Program 151515 Tort Law Y1 – Q2
By Zina Al Joubori
Introduction
• Vocabulary and terms of art:
Word Meaning
Tort Synonym: non-contractual liability
Damage o Any type of detrimental effect
o Injury
o Damages can also be synonymous with reparations or
compensation
Legally relevant damage (DCFR) o Losses (economic and non-economic nature)
o injury
Reparation/Remedy Legal consequences of a (legally relevant) damage that
has already occurred
Compensation Monetary reparation
Grounds of accountability (DCFR) Intention, negligence and accountability without intention
nor negligence (strict liability)
Plaintiff = claimant = victim =injured party = Π
Defendant = tortfeasor = Δ
Prima facie - if true, the facts alleged will allow recovery.
Dismissal - do the facts of the claim state a claim if true?
Summary judgment - does the evidence support the claim?
Directed verdict - did the plaintiff prove his or her case at trial
2
, International Bachelor of Law 2019-2020
Course
Law Summary
Program 151515 Tort Law Y1 – Q2
By Zina Al Joubori
Which are the main similarities and differences in legal sources, legal reasoning and purposes of tort law between common law and European code based legal systems (as
reflected in Book VI Draft Common Frame of Reference);
Common Law European code-based
Form of legal 1. Case Law (binding precedent) Statutory Law e.g. Civil Codes
source 2. Statutory Law
3. Regulatory Law o Rules are laid down by the legislator
o All 3 have equal importance
o Usually general rules that allow national courts to further develop this
o Principle extracted from case law area of law
o Rules are decided and applied based on the relevant facts. o Systematic approach
o Common law principle: A court should follow the decisions of prior o Academic writings are very important in the development of the law
courts that have ruled on similar cases to produce a predictable (private law)
outcome. A court that hears a case that presents a new problem or
“case of first impression” has the obligation to find the appropriate o E.g.: BGB (German Civil Code) is also known as Professorenrecht (law
legal rule. This case then becomes precedent. A precedent can be made by professors) – national courts very often discuss the opinions of
either binding or persuasive. A decision from a superior court or from legal authors in their decisions
the same court on the same set of facts is binding precedent under the o Case law: ≠ role than Common Law
doctrine of stare decisis. Decisions from other jurisdictions or parallel
courts are persuasive. Established principles should not be disturbed. o But remember case law has developed this area of law because the
legislator has not drafted specific rules to cover each aspects of everyday
life
Legal Reasoning o The rule is extracted from a case in your jurisdiction where a court has o Deductive method of legal reasoning: from general to particular
decided the matter based on the same or similar facts. o Lawyers start by analyzing the legal rule and then they apply it to the
o Lawyers find a case with identical facts (at least similar) and extract a facts of the specific case at issue
rule of law from the holding in that case. The lawyers then argue that
that prior decision is binding on the current case because of stare
decisis or, in the event it is not binding, it is persuasive. The entire
argument is based on the similarity of facts between the two cases.
Lawyers on the other side of the case may argue that the principle of
3
Tort Law Summary
ZINA AL JOUBORI
THE HAGUE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCINCES
, International Bachelor of Law 2019-2020
Course
Law Summary
Program 151515 Tort Law Y1 – Q2
By Zina Al Joubori
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 2
• Vocabulary and terms of art: ..................................................................................................................2
• The quest of European Ius Commune: ...................................................................................................5
Intention & Negligence DCFR .............................................................................................................. 6
• Intention ...................................................................................................................................................6
• Negligence ................................................................................................................................................9
Causation & Defense DCFR ................................................................................................................ 12
• Causation ............................................................................................................................................... 12
• Defense ................................................................................................................................................... 14
Strict liability &Remedies and damages DCFR ................................................................................... 18
• Damages ................................................................................................................................................. 22
• Remedies ................................................................................................................................................ 24
Intention & Negligence – Common Law.............................................................................................. 26
• Intention ................................................................................................................................................. 26
• Negligence .............................................................................................................................................. 27
Causation & Defense – Common Law ................................................................................................. 29
• Defense ................................................................................................................................................... 30
Strict Liability & Damages and Remedies – Common Law.................................................................. 31
• Strict Liability ........................................................................................................................................ 31
Common Law - Rylands v. Fletcher [1868] UKHL 1................................................................................ 33
• Damages & Remedies ............................................................................................................................ 33
List of Required Cases ......................................................................................................................... 36
Comparative Overview ......................................................................................................................... 37
1
, International Bachelor of Law 2019-2020
Course
Law Summary
Program 151515 Tort Law Y1 – Q2
By Zina Al Joubori
Introduction
• Vocabulary and terms of art:
Word Meaning
Tort Synonym: non-contractual liability
Damage o Any type of detrimental effect
o Injury
o Damages can also be synonymous with reparations or
compensation
Legally relevant damage (DCFR) o Losses (economic and non-economic nature)
o injury
Reparation/Remedy Legal consequences of a (legally relevant) damage that
has already occurred
Compensation Monetary reparation
Grounds of accountability (DCFR) Intention, negligence and accountability without intention
nor negligence (strict liability)
Plaintiff = claimant = victim =injured party = Π
Defendant = tortfeasor = Δ
Prima facie - if true, the facts alleged will allow recovery.
Dismissal - do the facts of the claim state a claim if true?
Summary judgment - does the evidence support the claim?
Directed verdict - did the plaintiff prove his or her case at trial
2
, International Bachelor of Law 2019-2020
Course
Law Summary
Program 151515 Tort Law Y1 – Q2
By Zina Al Joubori
Which are the main similarities and differences in legal sources, legal reasoning and purposes of tort law between common law and European code based legal systems (as
reflected in Book VI Draft Common Frame of Reference);
Common Law European code-based
Form of legal 1. Case Law (binding precedent) Statutory Law e.g. Civil Codes
source 2. Statutory Law
3. Regulatory Law o Rules are laid down by the legislator
o All 3 have equal importance
o Usually general rules that allow national courts to further develop this
o Principle extracted from case law area of law
o Rules are decided and applied based on the relevant facts. o Systematic approach
o Common law principle: A court should follow the decisions of prior o Academic writings are very important in the development of the law
courts that have ruled on similar cases to produce a predictable (private law)
outcome. A court that hears a case that presents a new problem or
“case of first impression” has the obligation to find the appropriate o E.g.: BGB (German Civil Code) is also known as Professorenrecht (law
legal rule. This case then becomes precedent. A precedent can be made by professors) – national courts very often discuss the opinions of
either binding or persuasive. A decision from a superior court or from legal authors in their decisions
the same court on the same set of facts is binding precedent under the o Case law: ≠ role than Common Law
doctrine of stare decisis. Decisions from other jurisdictions or parallel
courts are persuasive. Established principles should not be disturbed. o But remember case law has developed this area of law because the
legislator has not drafted specific rules to cover each aspects of everyday
life
Legal Reasoning o The rule is extracted from a case in your jurisdiction where a court has o Deductive method of legal reasoning: from general to particular
decided the matter based on the same or similar facts. o Lawyers start by analyzing the legal rule and then they apply it to the
o Lawyers find a case with identical facts (at least similar) and extract a facts of the specific case at issue
rule of law from the holding in that case. The lawyers then argue that
that prior decision is binding on the current case because of stare
decisis or, in the event it is not binding, it is persuasive. The entire
argument is based on the similarity of facts between the two cases.
Lawyers on the other side of the case may argue that the principle of
3
