TORTS SYLLABUS

Fall 2007 - Professor Johnson (Updated October 19)


Meeting Times and Location Text for the Class
Attendance Policy Contact Professor Johnson

Class assignments:

August
 
   
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September
           
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October
 
           
 
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November
 
 
   
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December
           
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August 21
Development of Liability Based Upon Fault
Read pp. 1-10


August 22
  Development of Liability Based Upon Fault (cont.)
Pages 10-16


August 23
Intent
Pages 17-23


August 24
Intent
Pages 23-29


August 28
Battery
Pages 29-37
CALI Exercises are available for Battery and Assault


August 29
Assault; False Imprisonment
Pages 37-48
Website
CALI Exercise is available for False Imprisonment


August 30
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
Pages 50-54; Skip 55-57


August 31
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (cont.)
Pages 57- 66
CALI Exercise is available for Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress


September 4
Trespass to Land
Pages 66- 72


September 5
Trespass to Land (cont.); Trespass to Chattels; Privileges
72-81; 91-92
Websites


September 6
Privileges: Consent
91-99


September 7
Privileges: Consent; Self-Defense; Defense of Others
Pages 99-103; Skim 103-107


September 11
Defense of property; Recovery of property
Pages 107-118
Website


September 12
Necessity, Authority of Law, Discipline, Justification
Pages 118-130
CALI Exercise available on Summary of Intentional Torts


September 13
Negligence: Introduction
Pages 131-141


September 14
Negligence: Introduction; Negligence: The Reasonable Person
Pages 141-150


September 18
Negligence: The Reasonable Person
Pages 150-161


September 19
Negligence: The Reasonable Person
Pages 161-173


September 20
Negligence: The Reasonable Person
Pages 173-185


September 21
Negligence: The Reasonable Person
Pages 185-197
Negligence: Rule of Law
Pages 200-204
CALI Exercises available on the Reasonable Person, Standard of Care for Professionals, and
Children and Others of Diminished Capacity

September 25
Negligence: Violation of a Statute
Pages 204-215

September 26
Negligence: Violation of a Statute (cont.)
Pages 215-224

September 27
Negligence: Violation of a Statute (cont.); Proof of Negligence: Circumstantial Evidence
Pages 224-237


September 28
Class Cancelled

October 2
Proof of Negligence: Res Ipsa Loquitor
Pages 237-250
CALI Exercise available on Res Ipsa Loquitor


October 3
Res Ipsa Loquitor (cont.); Causation in Fact
Pages 250-258; 259-262


October 4
Causation in Fact (cont.)
Pages 262-270


October 5
Causation in Fact (cont.)
Pages 270-282


October 9
Causation in Fact: Concurrent Causes; Multiple Causes
Pages 282-292


October 10
Proximate Cause
Pages 293-308


October 11
Proximate Cause
Pages 308-325
Weblink - Palsgraf


October 12
Proximate Cause: Intervening Causes
Pages 325-335


October 16
Proximate Cause: Intervening Causes
Pages 335-344
Proximate Cause: Public Policy
Pages 344-349
CALI Exercise available on Intervening Causes


October 17
Proximate Cause: Public Policy
Pages 349-355


October 18
Negligence: Duty of Care, Failure to Act
Pages 417-432


October 19
Negligence: Duty of Care, Failure to Act
Pages 432-438


October 23
Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress
Pages 450-464


October 24
Defenses to Negligence: Contributory and Comparative Negligence
Pages 586-601
  CALI Exercise available on Comparative Fault and on Contributory Negligence


October 25
Defenses to Negligence: Assumption of Risk
Pages 601-607


October 26
Defenses to Negligence: Assumption of Risk
Pages 607-610
Defenses to Negligence: Statutes of Limitation
Pages 614-621
CALI Exercise available on Assumption of Risk


October 30
Defenses to Negligence: Family Immunities
Pages 621-633


October 31
Defenses to Negligence: Charitable Immunity, Government Immunity
Pages 633-648


November  1
Damages
Pages 519-530


November 2
Damages
Skim Pages 531-539
Read Pages 540-545


November 6
Damages
Read Pages 545-548
Skim Pages 548-550
Read Pages 550-556


November 7
Damages
Pages 556-564
Several CALI Exercises are available that address Damages


November 8
Joint and Several Liability
Pages 361-371


November 9
Law Review Symposium
 

November 13
Joint and Several Liability
Pages 371-378; 383-386


November 14
Joint and Several Liability
Pages 386-392


November 15
Vicarious Liability
Pages 660-669



November 16
Strict Liability
Pages 686 - 702
CALI Exercises available for Strict Liability


November 19-23
Fall Break


November 27
Strict Liability
Pages 702-714
CALI Exercises available for Strict Liability



November 28
Exam Review


December 6
Exam

Meeting Times and Location

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: 9:40 in Classroom A


Text

Prosser, Wade and Schwartz, Torts: Eleventh Edition.


Attendance Policy

Attendance is mandatory.  If a student accumulates more than 8 unexcused absences during the semester, the student will not pass the course.  A student who has not read the assigned materials for the class will be marked absent.

Preparation for class is mandatory.  Class participation will be considered in grading.


Contact information
Professor Stephen Johnson
Dean's Office
(478) 301-2192
Johnson_s@mercer.edu