an intentional threat to cause bodily harm to another; does not have to include actual bodily contact
assault
unlawful touching of another person without informed consent
battery
a legal presumption that a person who has reached the age of majority can make decisions for herself or himself unless proved otherwise (if she o he has been legally declared incompetent)
competency
spoken or written statements made maliciously and intentionally that may injure the subject's reputation
defamation
injury to a person or the person's property that gives rise to a basis for a legal action against the person who caused the damage
harm
a malicious or untrue writing about another person that is brought to the attention of others
libel
failure to meet a legal duty, thus causing harm to another
malpractice
the commission (doing) of an act or the omission (not doing) of an act that have a reasonably prudent person would have performed in a similar situation, thus causing harm to another person
negligence
malicious or untrue spoken words about another person that are brought to the attention of others
slander
a type of civil law that involves wrong against a person or property; torts include negligence, assault, battery, defamation, fraud, false imprisonment, and invasion of privacy