I.D · Legal Concept: Tort Law
Intentional torts: libel, slander, false arrest, battery
An intentional tort does not depend on carelessness. It depends on choosing to do the act. The question is not "Was he careful enough?" but "Did he deliberately do this?"
Examples to know:
Libel: a false and unprivileged publication by writing, printing, picture or other fixed representation to the eye that, among other things, tends to injure a person in his or her occupation (California Civil Code §45). A written website post counts.
Slander: the same kind of false statement, orally uttered (Civil Code §46).
False arrest (false imprisonment): confining someone without legal cause.
Battery: deliberately striking someone.
Memory trick: libel is lasting (written down); slander is spoken.
Compare negligence: a driver who rear-ends a car while glancing at a phone did not choose to cause the crash. That is carelessness, so it is negligence, not an intentional tort.
Remember
· Intentional tort = a deliberate act, not a failure of care.
· Libel = written/fixed (Civ. §45); slander = spoken (Civ. §46).
· Other examples: false arrest, battery.
CA
California Insurance Exam Prep
Bilingual practice for the California insurance license exams.
California Insurance Exam Prep is an independent study aid published by ORIGINAL HEART INC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the California Department of Insurance (CDI) or PSI Services. All practice questions are original and written from the public CDI examination objectives and California law. They are not actual exam questions. Using this app does not guarantee that you will pass the licensing exam. Laws and exam content change; always check the current CDI Candidate Information Bulletin.
© 2026 ORIGINAL HEART INC
Exam prep classes
Life and real estate license exam prep with experienced instructors.
Learn more ›