What is tort?

• A. wrongful act for which an injured party can recover damages
• B. criminal act punishable by imprisonment
• C. unlawful contract breach
• D. an ethical violation with no legal remedy

Answer: (D)

Tort is a civil wrong that allows an injured person to recover damages through a lawsuit. It deals with private disputes, not state punishment, and the typical aim is to compensate the victim rather than to punish the wrongdoer. Common examples include negligence, intentional acts like battery or defamation, and strict liability scenarios where fault doesn’t depend on intent. This is why the description that best fits tort is a civil wrong for which damages can be recovered.

The other descriptions fit different areas of law: a criminal act punishable by imprisonment belongs to criminal law; an unlawful contract breach falls under contract law; and an ethical violation with no legal remedy ignores the civil remedies tort law provides, such as monetary damages or injunctions to repair or prevent harm.