Glossary

• Author: Philip H. Osborne
• Pages: 415-423

Abatement: A self-help remedy to remove a nuisance from which the

abator suffers.

Abuse of process: The use of civil process in furtherance of an improp-

er motive.

Accident: An unexpected or untoward event that causes injury to

another, or conduct that no reasonable person would foresee as creat-

ing a risk of injury to others.

Act of God: An extraordinary natural phenomenon that is beyond the

foresight of a reasonable person and could not therefore be guarded

against.

Actio per quod consortium amisit: A Latin expression for a common

law action originally available only to a husband (now extended to

wives) for the loss of personal and domestic services arising from an

injury caused by the tortfeasor to a spouse.

Actio per quod servitium amisit: A Latin expression for a common law

action brought by an employer for the loss of services of an employee

injured by a tortfeasor.

Action: See cause of action.

Action on the case: A cause of action originating from the writ of tres-

pass on the case. A feature of the writ was that the circumstances of the

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Glossary