Warning
Info
Warning
Info
Simple English definitions for legal terms
dignitary tort
Read a random definition: decennarius
A quick definition of dignitary tort:
A dignitary tort is when someone hurts another person's reputation or honor. It's a type of civil wrong that can be punished with money. For example, if someone spreads lies about you and it damages your reputation, you can sue them for a dignitary tort. It's different from a crime or breaking a contract. It's like when someone does something mean to you that isn't against the law, but still hurts your feelings.A more thorough explanation:
A dignitary tort is a civil wrong that involves injury to one's reputation or honor. It is a type of tort, which is a breach of a duty that the law imposes on persons who stand in a particular relation to one another. Examples of dignitary torts include defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
For instance, if someone spreads false and damaging information about another person, it could be considered defamation, which is a type of dignitary tort. Another example is invasion of privacy, which occurs when someone intrudes upon another person's private life without their consent.
These examples illustrate how dignitary torts involve harm to a person's reputation or honor, rather than physical harm or damage to property. They are often remedied through a civil lawsuit, where the injured party seeks damages for the harm caused by the tortfeasor.