Business Law: Negligence and Torts (8 lectures, 45 minutes/lecture) Course No. 56 Taug!t "# $ran% B. Cross T!

e &ni'ersit# o( Te)as at *ustin B.*., &ni'ersit# o( +ansas, -..., /ar'ard Law 0c!ool

T!is course addresses two im1ortant 2uestions: 3 4!en is someone else legall# res1onsi"le (or !arm done to #ou5 3 4!en are #ou legall# res1onsi"le (or !arm done to someone else5 T!is course o( eig!t lectures discusses torts, t!e "od# o( law designed to redress t!roug! ci'il litigation !arms done to 1ersons. *s wit! all "odies o( law, in order to anal#6e t!e legal im1lications o( a 1otentiall# tortious action, it is necessar# to "lend common sense and 1ragmatic t!in%ing wit! an understanding o( legal de(initions as t!e# !a'e e'ol'ed o'er time. T!is lecture series not onl# e)1lains t!e "asics o( t!is su"stanti'e "od# o( law, "ut it also gi'es insig!t t!roug! e)am1les o( !ow t!e law is "ased on a logical idea o( a 7ust outcome. 8ou !a'e an outstanding guide to understand clearl# t!is area o( law. 9ro(essor $ran% B. Cross is 9ro(essor o( Business :egulation at T!e &ni'ersit# o( Te)as at *ustin and a (ormer attorne# wit! t!e law (irm o( +ir%land ; <llis in 4as!ington, ..C. T!e *cadem# o( Legal 0tudies in Business !onored 9ro(essor Cross as t!e nation=s outstanding 1ro(essor. T!e Business 4ee% guide to >.B.*. 1rograms !as also recogni6ed !im as one o( t!e nation=s outstanding teac!ers. /is con'ersational, clear, t!oroug!, and !umorous st#le ma%es t!is course a 1leasure. T!e Basics: Negligence and ?ntentional ?nter(erence wit! 9ro1ert# Lecture @ la#s out t!e "asic (oundations o( torts law, t!e t!ree categories o( w!ic! it is com1osed, and t!e legal (actors necessar# to (ind a 1erson lia"le (or a tort. Negligence is discussed in terms o( s1eci(ic legal duties under t!e common law, and t!e standard o( w!at a Areasona"le 1ersonA would t!in% or do, w!ic! is relied u1on so !ea'il# in t!is "od# o( law. Lecture continues t!e discussion o( negligence, es1eciall# o( 1ro1ert# owners, and t!e de(enses t!at can "e o((ered against allegations o( negligence. 8ou consider t!e duties o( landowners to tres1assers, guests, and ot!ers (suc! as t!e in7uries o( "urglars or c!ildren w!o in'ade swimming 1ools). 8ou searc! t!e causal connections t!at determine w!et!er one 1erson=s acts areBin lawBt!e AcauseA o( anot!er=s !arm. Lecture C discusses t!e (li1 side o( 1ro1ert# owner=s negligenceBt!e de(initions o( intentional inter(erence wit! 1ro1ert#. 8our neig!"or=s tree inter(eres wit! #our (ence and #our sunlig!t. 8ou coo% wit! mountains o( garlic t!at 'ent into #our neig!"or=s a1artment. 4!at determines

intentional inter(erence wit! 1ro1ert#5 8ou loo% at 'arious cases. T!e nature o( intent is discussed in terms o( eac! o( se'eral %inds o( o((enses. .e(amation, 9ri'ac#, and <motional .istress Lectures 4 and 5 deal wit! t!e !ig!D1ro(ile, occasionall# contro'ersial to1ics o( de(amation, 1ri'ac#, and emotional distress. ?n Lecture 4, #ou loo% at t!e law o( li"el (written) and slander (oral) t!at damage a 1erson=s re1utation. 0e'eral re2uirements o( de(amation are discussed, as well as t!e 1ri'ilege to de(ame w!ic! can attend commentar# on 1u"lic (igures. 8ou also e)amine w!en trut! is a de(ense against li"el. Lecture 5 discusses t!e e)1anding tort o( in(liction o( emotional distress, w!ic! can "e eit!er negligent or intentional, "ut w!ic! must 1ass se'eral s1eci(ic tests "e(ore it can "e de(initel# la"eled tortious. ?n'asion o( 1ri'ac# and t!e 'arious (orms it can ta%e under common law are re'iewed in detail. Business Torts: 9roduct Lia"ilit#, ?nter(erence, >isa11ro1riation, Trademar%s Lectures 6, E, and 8 return to a more traditional conce1tion o( "usiness law in t!eir discussion o( 1roduct lia"ilit#, "usiness torts, and trademar%s. .o cars need warning la"els5 4ould it !a'e an# legal e((ect i( t!e# did5 T!e e)tent to w!ic! a manu(acturer is lia"le (or damages caused to 1ersons or 1ro1ert# is e)1lained in Lecture 6, including t!e se'eral de(enses, suc! as assum1tion o( ris%, w!ic! can "e raised. Lecture E discusses t!irdD1art# inter'ention in contracts and 1ros1ecti'e "usiness, as well as t!e legal im1lications o( misa11ro1riation o( in(ormation. Lecture 8 closes t!e series wit! an interesting discussion o( trademar% law, and t!e considerations suc! as com1etition or li%eli!ood o( consumer con(usion t!at courts must weig! "e(ore !anding down decisions on suc! in(ringements. T!e cases discussed in t!is lecture loo% at intrusions on t!e trade name, a11earance, and re1utation o( man# (amous 1roducts.