A wrongful act or omission, other than a crime or a breach of contract, that invades a legally protected right.

• A. Tort
• B. Legal duty
• C. Plaintiff
• D. Defendant

Answer: (A)

A tort is a civil wrong recognized by law where one person’s act or failure to act harms another person’s legally protected rights, leading to a civil remedy such as damages or an injunction. This concept is distinct from crimes (criminal offenses prosecuted by the state with punitive penalties) and breaches of contract (duties arising from contracts). The description in the question—that the act is wrongful, not criminal or contractual, and invades a protected right—maps directly to tort liability. The other terms listed aren’t the wrong itself: a legal duty is the obligation that, if breached, can give rise to a tort; a plaintiff is the party asserting a claim; a defendant is the party being sued.