Which tort is the restraint or confinement of a person without consent or legal authority?

• A. False imprisonment
• B. False arrest
• C. Assault
• D. Negligent infliction of emotional distress

Answer: (A)

The main concept is restraining someone's freedom of movement without permission or legal authority. False imprisonment occurs when one person intentionally confines another’s movement by physical force, barriers, or threats, and there is no lawful justification or consent. The confinement must be complete or substantially limiting, and it can occur for any duration. This is distinct from false arrest in that false imprisonment covers confinement even outside official authority, while false arrest specifically involves detention by someone with presumed authority but without proper legal justification. Assault and negligent infliction of emotional distress involve threats of harmful contact or causing distress through negligence, not the act of restricting someone's movement.