TORT LAW PROBLEM-BASED QUESTIONS WITH 100%
VERIFIED ANSWERS PLUS RATIONALES WITH LATEST
UPDATE 2026.
1. John throws a stone intending to scare Paul but accidentally hits Mary. What tort is
most applicable?
A. Negligence
B. Assault
C. Battery
D. False imprisonment
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Battery involves the intentional application of force. Transferred malice
applies where intent toward one person is transferred to another. Negligence requires
lack of intent, assault requires apprehension, and false imprisonment involves
restraint.
2. A doctor performs surgery without a patient’s consent, although the procedure was
beneficial. What is the likely tort?
A. Negligence
B. Battery
C. Nuisance
D. Trespass to land
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Performing a medical procedure without consent constitutes battery
regardless of benefit. Negligence relates to breach of duty, not lack of consent.
3. A shopkeeper locks a customer inside a store suspecting theft without proof. What tort
may arise?
A. Assault
B. False imprisonment
C. Negligence
D. Defamation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: False imprisonment involves unlawful restraint of a person’s freedom of
movement. Suspicion without reasonable grounds does not justify confinement.
4. A publishes a false statement damaging B’s reputation. What must B prove?
A. Physical injury
B. Financial loss only
C. Reputation harm
D. Intention to harm
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Defamation requires proof that the statement harmed reputation. Physical
, injury and financial loss are not essential elements, and intention is not always
required.
5. A driver fails to stop at a red light and injures a pedestrian. What is the primary tort?
A. Trespass
B. Battery
C. Negligence
D. Defamation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Negligence arises from breach of duty of care causing damage. Traffic
violations typically demonstrate breach.
6. A factory emits smoke that interferes with a neighbor’s enjoyment of land. What tort
applies?
A. Public nuisance
B. Private nuisance
C. Trespass
D. Negligence
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Private nuisance involves unreasonable interference with use and
enjoyment of land. Public nuisance affects the public at large.
7. A person enters another’s land without permission. What is this?
A. Negligence
B. Trespass to land
C. Nuisance
D. Conversion
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Trespass to land is direct interference with possession without lawful
justification.
8. A borrows B’s car and sells it without permission. What tort is committed?
A. Trespass
B. Negligence
C. Conversion
D. Nuisance
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Conversion involves dealing with goods in a manner inconsistent with the
owner’s rights, such as selling them.
,9. A threatens B with immediate harm, causing fear but no contact. What tort arises?
A. Battery
B. Assault
C. Negligence
D. Defamation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Assault involves creating reasonable apprehension of imminent harm
without physical contact.
10. A newspaper publishes a defamatory article but includes a true statement. What
defense applies?
A. Privilege
B. Truth (justification)
C. Consent
D. Necessity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Truth is a complete defense to defamation. If the statement is true, liability
does not arise.
11. A driver injures a pedestrian who suddenly jumped onto the road. What defense may
apply?
A. Consent
B. Volenti non fit injuria
C. Contributory negligence
D. Necessity
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Contributory negligence applies where the claimant contributed to the
harm through their own lack of care.
12. A consents to participate in a boxing match and gets injured. Can A sue?
A. Yes, always
B. No, due to consent
C. Yes, for negligence only
D. No, due to necessity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Volenti non fit injuria applies where a person consents to the risk inherent
in an activity.
13. A doctor negligently misdiagnoses a patient causing harm. What must be proven?
A. Intent
B. Duty, breach, causation, damage
C. Only damage
, D. Only breach
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The elements of negligence are duty of care, breach, causation, and
damage.
14. A defamatory statement is made during parliamentary proceedings. What defense
applies?
A. Qualified privilege
B. Absolute privilege
C. Truth
D. Consent
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Statements made in Parliament are protected by absolute privilege, even if
defamatory.
15. A leaves a pit uncovered on his land and a passerby falls in. Liability arises under?
A. Strict liability
B. Negligence
C. Trespass
D. Defamation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Failure to take reasonable care to prevent foreseeable harm constitutes
negligence.
16. A keeps dangerous animals that escape and injure B. What rule applies?
A. Negligence
B. Rylands v Fletcher
C. Strict liability
D. Nuisance
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Keeping dangerous animals imposes strict liability regardless of fault.
17. A publishes a fair comment on a matter of public interest. What defense applies?
A. Truth
B. Fair comment
C. Consent
D. Necessity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Honest opinion on matters of public interest is a defense to defamation.
VERIFIED ANSWERS PLUS RATIONALES WITH LATEST
UPDATE 2026.
1. John throws a stone intending to scare Paul but accidentally hits Mary. What tort is
most applicable?
A. Negligence
B. Assault
C. Battery
D. False imprisonment
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Battery involves the intentional application of force. Transferred malice
applies where intent toward one person is transferred to another. Negligence requires
lack of intent, assault requires apprehension, and false imprisonment involves
restraint.
2. A doctor performs surgery without a patient’s consent, although the procedure was
beneficial. What is the likely tort?
A. Negligence
B. Battery
C. Nuisance
D. Trespass to land
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Performing a medical procedure without consent constitutes battery
regardless of benefit. Negligence relates to breach of duty, not lack of consent.
3. A shopkeeper locks a customer inside a store suspecting theft without proof. What tort
may arise?
A. Assault
B. False imprisonment
C. Negligence
D. Defamation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: False imprisonment involves unlawful restraint of a person’s freedom of
movement. Suspicion without reasonable grounds does not justify confinement.
4. A publishes a false statement damaging B’s reputation. What must B prove?
A. Physical injury
B. Financial loss only
C. Reputation harm
D. Intention to harm
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Defamation requires proof that the statement harmed reputation. Physical
, injury and financial loss are not essential elements, and intention is not always
required.
5. A driver fails to stop at a red light and injures a pedestrian. What is the primary tort?
A. Trespass
B. Battery
C. Negligence
D. Defamation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Negligence arises from breach of duty of care causing damage. Traffic
violations typically demonstrate breach.
6. A factory emits smoke that interferes with a neighbor’s enjoyment of land. What tort
applies?
A. Public nuisance
B. Private nuisance
C. Trespass
D. Negligence
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Private nuisance involves unreasonable interference with use and
enjoyment of land. Public nuisance affects the public at large.
7. A person enters another’s land without permission. What is this?
A. Negligence
B. Trespass to land
C. Nuisance
D. Conversion
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Trespass to land is direct interference with possession without lawful
justification.
8. A borrows B’s car and sells it without permission. What tort is committed?
A. Trespass
B. Negligence
C. Conversion
D. Nuisance
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Conversion involves dealing with goods in a manner inconsistent with the
owner’s rights, such as selling them.
,9. A threatens B with immediate harm, causing fear but no contact. What tort arises?
A. Battery
B. Assault
C. Negligence
D. Defamation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Assault involves creating reasonable apprehension of imminent harm
without physical contact.
10. A newspaper publishes a defamatory article but includes a true statement. What
defense applies?
A. Privilege
B. Truth (justification)
C. Consent
D. Necessity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Truth is a complete defense to defamation. If the statement is true, liability
does not arise.
11. A driver injures a pedestrian who suddenly jumped onto the road. What defense may
apply?
A. Consent
B. Volenti non fit injuria
C. Contributory negligence
D. Necessity
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Contributory negligence applies where the claimant contributed to the
harm through their own lack of care.
12. A consents to participate in a boxing match and gets injured. Can A sue?
A. Yes, always
B. No, due to consent
C. Yes, for negligence only
D. No, due to necessity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Volenti non fit injuria applies where a person consents to the risk inherent
in an activity.
13. A doctor negligently misdiagnoses a patient causing harm. What must be proven?
A. Intent
B. Duty, breach, causation, damage
C. Only damage
, D. Only breach
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The elements of negligence are duty of care, breach, causation, and
damage.
14. A defamatory statement is made during parliamentary proceedings. What defense
applies?
A. Qualified privilege
B. Absolute privilege
C. Truth
D. Consent
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Statements made in Parliament are protected by absolute privilege, even if
defamatory.
15. A leaves a pit uncovered on his land and a passerby falls in. Liability arises under?
A. Strict liability
B. Negligence
C. Trespass
D. Defamation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Failure to take reasonable care to prevent foreseeable harm constitutes
negligence.
16. A keeps dangerous animals that escape and injure B. What rule applies?
A. Negligence
B. Rylands v Fletcher
C. Strict liability
D. Nuisance
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Keeping dangerous animals imposes strict liability regardless of fault.
17. A publishes a fair comment on a matter of public interest. What defense applies?
A. Truth
B. Fair comment
C. Consent
D. Necessity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Honest opinion on matters of public interest is a defense to defamation.
