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Kentucky Law Survey: Torts, Richard C. Ausness

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

This article provides a survey of Kentucky legal developments in the area of tort law. During the past term the Kentucky Court of Appeals was quite active in the area of torts. The Court considered cases involving battery, nuisance, products liability and negligence. The negligence decisions dealt with a defendant's standard of care, contributory negligence, and last clear chance. Four of these cases have been selected for examination in this article.

Tort Claims As Intangible Property: An Exploration From An Assignee's Perspective, Harold R. Weinberg

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

Dean Prosser has pointed out that a major function of the law of torts is to allocate losses arising in the course of human activity by placing the burden of the loss on the party at fault. Tort causes of action are both diverse and plentiful in our society, and few persons can avoid being a tort victim at one time or another. Prior to suit, the injured party becomes the “owner” of a tort cause of action. Even though “ownership’’ is involved, it may seem awkward to classify a tort cause of action as personal property. This difficulty is …

Kentucky Law Survey: Torts, Richard C. Ausness

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

This article provides a survey of Kentucky legal developments in the area of tort law. The topics covered in this discussion include: negligence per se, res ipsa loquitur, the legal duty of a land owner, parental liability for the acts of children, the last clear chance doctrine, products liability, private nuisance, and public nuisance.

From Caveat Emptor To Strict Liability: A Review Of Products Liability In Florida, Richard C. Ausness

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

Since the doctrine of caveat emptor gave way to a more enlightened response, the courts have struggled to place the law of products liability on a proper doctrinal foundation. Negligence, implied warranty, and strict liability have been used, but as yet no universally accepted theory has emerged. In light of this problem this article will trace the development of seller's liability in Florida. Special emphasis will be placed upon implied warranty; in addition, the relationship between existing Florida case law, strict liability under the Restatement of Torts and the warranty provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code will be examined.

The Effect Of Sovereign Immunity On Environmental Protection Suits Against Government Officials, Richard C. Ausness

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

A number of excellent articles have been published on the general subject of federal sovereign immunity in recent years, but most of them have been substantially concerned with legislative or judicial reform of this and related doctrines. The growing importance of environmental values as significant social and legal interests compels an examination of the relationship between sovereign immunity and the environmental protection suit. This article will trace the past and recent development of the immunity doctrine and consider its present and potential impact on environmental litigation.

Libel Per Quod In Florida, Richard C. Ausness

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

The purpose of this article is to trace the development of the rules of defamation with particular reference to extrinsic fact. A defamatory communication is one that tends to diminish the esteem, respect, good will, or confidence in which a person is held or to excite adverse, derogatory, or unpleasant feelings or opinions against him. To be actionable under the modem law, however, the defendant's statement must be capable of a defamatory meaning in the sense normally understood.

Defamation consists of the separate torts of libel and slander. Historically, these torts evolved independently of each other, and as a result …