False Imprisonment
What is False Imprisonment?
Black’s Law Dictionary defines false imprisonment as “A restraint of a person in a bounded area without justification or consent. … It applies to private as well as governmental detention.”
The law of false imprisonment is similar (but not identical) in most U.S. states. In this post, I’ve assembled a collection of laws on false imprisonment in states throughout the U.S.
Because false imprisonment is part of the common law (that is, law based on judicial precedent) much of the law on false imprisonment comes from court cases, rather than statutes passed by Congress and the state legislatures. Because the law on false imprisonment comes primarily from court cases, this collection is a list of court cases on false imprisonment, from jurisdictions around the country. These cases are from both state and federal courts. To see the difference between state courts and federal courts, click here. To see which federal courts have jurisdiction over your state, click here.
If you have a subscription to Westlaw you can click on each case, and you will be directed to that case. If you do not have a subscription to Westlaw, then do the following:
· Go to Google Scholar.
· Click on “Case Law”
· Copy the name and the citation of the court case from this page
· Paste the name and citation into the search bar of Google Scholar.
U.S. Supreme Court
Baker v. McCollan, 443 U.S. 137, 99 S.Ct. 2689, 2693, 61 L.Ed.2d 433, on remand 601 F.2d 903 (5th Cir. 1979).
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Dagi v. Delta Airlines, Inc., 961 F.3d 22, 29.
Forgie-Buccioni v. Hannaford Brothers, Inc., 413 F.3d 175, 181.
McCann v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 210 F.3d 51, 51, 53.
Calero-Colon v. Betancourt-Lebron, 68 F.3d 1, 3.
Vahlsing v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., Inc., 928 F.2d 486, 492.
Beaumont v. Morgan, 427 F.2d 667, 671, cert. denied 400 U.S. 882, 27 L.Ed.2d 121, 91 S.Ct. 120 (1970).
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Turley v. ISG Lackawanna, Inc., 774 F.3d 140, 157, 158.
Posr v. Doherty, 944 F.2d 91, 97.
Cameron v. Fogarty, 806 F.2d 380, 387, cert. denied 481 U.S. 1016, 107 S.Ct. 1894, 95 L.Ed.2d 501 (1987).
Weisman v. Le Landais, 532 F.2d 308, 311.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
William A. Graham Co. v. Haughey, 646 F.3d 138, 149.
Burt v. Ferrese, 871 F.2d 14, 17.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Harper v. Merckle, 638 F.2d 848, 861, certiorari denied 454 U.S. 816, 102 S.Ct. 93, 70 L.Ed.2d 85 (1981).
Douthit v. Jones, 619 F.2d 527, 532, rehearing denied 641 F.2d 345 (5th Cir. 1981).
McCollan v. Tate, 575 F.2d 509, 512, certiorari granted 439 U.S. 1114, 99 S.Ct. 1015, 59 L.Ed.2d 71, judgment rev’d 433 U.S. 137, 99 S.Ct. 2689, 61 L.Ed.2d 433 (see above case), on remand 601 F.2d 903.
Bryan v. Jones, 530 F.2d 1210, 1213.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Dibrell v. City of Knoxville, Tennessee, 984 F.3d 1156, 1161.
Tlapanco v. Elges, 969 F.3d 638, 659.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Adams v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 324 F.3d 935, 941.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Blaxland v. Com. Director of Public Prosecutions, 323 F.3d 1198, 1205.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Gilmere v. Atlanta, Ga., 737 F.2d 894, 907, on rehearing 774 F.2d 1495 (11th Cir.1985), certiorari denied 476 U.S. 1115, 106 S.Ct. 1970, 90 L.Ed.2d 654 (1986).
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Sami v. United States, 617 F.2d 755, 765.
Johnson v. United States, 547 F.2d 688, 692.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
Davis v. Fulton County, Ark., 884 F.Supp. 1245, 1262, affirmed 90 F.3d 1346 (8th Cir.1996).
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
Garcia v. City of Merced, 637 F.Supp.2d 731, 754.
U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
Martinez v. Winner, 548 F.Supp. 278, 332.
U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut
Bolmer v. Oliveira, 570 F.Supp.2d 301, 324-325.
Russo v. City of Hartford, 341 F.Supp.2d 85, 105.
Lo Sacco v. City of Middletown, 745 F.Supp. 812, 816.
Dirienzo v. U.S., 690 F.Supp. 1149, 1154.
U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
Lloyd v. Jefferson, 53 F.Supp.2d 643, 672, 673.
Valn v. United States, 548 F.Supp. 921, 925, order reversed 708 F.2d 116 (3d Cir.1983).
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Abedini v. Government of Islamic Republic of Iran, 422 F.Supp.3d 118, 133.
Rezaian v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 422 F.Supp.3d 164, 179.
Stansell v. Republic of Cuba, 217 F.Supp.3d 320, 343.
Regier v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 281 F.Supp.2d 87, 100.
Jenco v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 154 F.Supp.2d 27, 34, judgment affirmed 315 F.3d 325 (C.A.D.C.2003).
Sutherland v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 151 F.Supp.2d 27, 49.
Richardson v. U.S. Dept. of Interior, 740 F.Supp. 15, 26.
Garber v. United States, 73 F.R.D. 364, 367, judgment aff’d 578 F.2d 414 (C.A.D.C.1978).
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
Caldwell v. Jones, 513 F.Supp.2d 1000, 1012.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
Busch v. City of Anthon, Iowa, 173 F.Supp.2d 876, 894.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
In re Mason, 514 B.R. 852, 859.
U.S. District Court for the District of Maine
Smith v. Heritage Salmon, Inc., 180 F.Supp.2d 208, 220.
U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Sheppard v. U.S., 537 F.Supp.2d 785, 787.
U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Walker v. Femino, 311 F.Supp.3d 441, 455.
O’Neil v. Daimlerchrysler Corp., 538 F.Supp.2d 304, 321.
Mitchell v. City of Boston, 130 F.Supp.2d 201, 214.
Ball v. Wal-Mart, Inc., 102 F.Supp.2d 44, 55.
Noel v. Town of Plymouth, Mass., 895 F.Supp. 346, 354.
Krohn v. United States, 578 F.Supp. 1441, 1450, order reversed in part 742 F.2d 24 (1st Cir.1984).
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Eilers v. Coy, 582 F.Supp. 1093, 1096.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota
In re Halverson, 226 B.R. 22, 29.
U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada
Goodman v. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept., 963 F.Supp.2d 1036, 1061.
Sandoval v. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept., 854 F.Supp.2d 860, 882.
Switzer v. Rivera, 174 F.Supp.2d 1097, 1110.
U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire
Farrelly v. City of Concord, N.H., 2012 DNH 166, 902 F.Supp.2d 178, 206.
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Zavala v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 393 F.Supp.2d 295, 333.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Vumbaca v. Terminal One Group Ass’n L.P., 859 F.Supp.2d 343, 379.
DiBella v. County of Suffolk, State of N.Y., 574 F.Supp. 151, 152, judgment affirmed 762 F.2d 990 (2d Cir.1985).
Francois v. United States, 528 F.Supp. 533, 535.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Fernandez v. DeLeno, 71 F.Supp.2d 224, 229.
Rosado v. New York City Housing Authority, 827 F.Supp. 179, 182.
Rosado v. New York City Housing Authority, 719 F.Supp. 268, 271, vacated and superseded 827 F.Supp. 179 (S.D.N.Y.1989). See case below.
Bower v. Weisman, 639 F.Supp. 532, 540.
Sauls v. Bristol-Myers Co., 462 F.Supp. 887, 890.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
Harris by Tucker v. County of Forsyth, 921 F.Supp. 325, 327, 333.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Krochalis v. Insurance Co. of North America, 629 F.Supp. 1360, 1370.
Chicarelli v. Plymouth Garden Apartments, 551 F.Supp. 532, 541.
Belcher v. United States, 511 F.Supp. 476, 483.
Hamilton v. Jamieson, 355 F.Supp. 290, 297.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Watson v. Witmer, 183 F.Supp.3d 607, 617.
Brownstein v. Gieda, 649 F.Supp.2d 368, 376.
Dull v. West Manchester Tp. Police Dept., 604 F.Supp.2d 739, 755.
Horne v. Farrell, 560 F.Supp. 219, 226.
U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
Berg v. San Juan Marriott Hotel & Stellaris Casino, 261 F.Supp.3d 213, 218.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
Tate v. Alexander, 527 F.Supp. 796, 802, judgment affirmed in part, vacated in part 706 F.2d 751 (6th Cir.1983), on remand 573 F.Supp. 373 (1983), affirmed 751 F.2d 384 (6th Cir.1984).
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
In re Holt, 310 B.R. 675, 679.
U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
Gardner v. United States, 316 F.Supp.3d 1308, 1322.
U.S. District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands
Illaraza v. HOVENSA LLC, 73 F.Supp.3d 588, 616.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
Erie Ins. Property & Cas. Co., Inc. v. Edmond, 785 F.Supp.2d 561, 573.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Gable v. Universal Acceptance Corporation (WI), 338 F.Supp.3d 943, 957.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
Olynick v. Taylor County, 643 F.Supp. 1100, 1104.
Ala.
Harrison v. Diversified Products Corp., 499 So.2d 1384, 1384.
Alaska
Kinegak v. State, Dept. of Corrections, 129 P.3d 887, 892, 893.
Zok v. State, 903 P.2d 574, 575, 577.
Helstrom v. North Slope Borough, 797 P.2d 1192, 1199.
Ariz.
Phoenix Control Systems v. Insurance Co., 165 Ariz. 31, 796 P.2d 463, 468.
Muscat by Berman v. Creative Innervisions LLC, 418 P.3d 967, 971.
Wilshire Ins. Co. v. S.A., 224 Ariz. 97, 227 P.3d 504, 507.
Hart v. Seven Resorts Inc., 190 Ariz. 272, 947 P.2d 846, 855.
Gau v. Smitty’s Super Valu, Inc., 183 Ariz. 107, 901 P.2d 455, 455, 458, 459.
Ark.
Trammell v. Wright, 489 S.W.3d 636, 641.
Headrick v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 293 Ark. 433, 738 S.W.2d 418, 420.
Cal.
Lyons v. Fire Ins. Exchange, 161 Cal.App.4th 880, 888, 74 Cal.Rptr.3d 649, 655.
People v. Swanson, 142 Cal.App.3d 104, 190 Cal.Rptr. 768, 772.
Du Lac v. Perma Trans Products, Inc., 103 Cal.App.3d 937, 163 Cal.Rptr. 335, 338.
City of Newport Beach v. Sasse, 9 Cal.App.3d 803, 88 Cal.Rptr. 476, 480.
Colo.
Goodboe v. Gabriella, 663 P.2d 1051, 1057.
Havens v. Hardesty, 43 Colo.App. 162, 600 P.2d 116, 118.
Conn.
Rivera v. Double A Transp., Inc., 248 Conn. 21, 727 A.2d 204, 209, 211.
Green v. Donroe, 186 Conn. 265, 440 A.2d 973, 974, 975.
D.C.
Grillo v. National Bank of Washington, 540 A.2d 743, 751.
Faniel v. Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., 404 A.2d 147, 151.
Fla.
Granville v. Capital Bank, 456 So.2d 960, 962.
Erp v. Carroll, 438 So.2d 31, 40.
Ga.
Baggett v. National Bank & Trust Co., 174 Ga.App. 346, 330 S.E.2d 108, 111.
Hawaii
Towse v. State, 64 Hawaii 624, 647 P.2d 696, 704.
Noguchi v. Nakamura, 2 Hawaii App. 655, 638 P.2d 1383, 1385.
Ill.
Ind.
Edwards v. Vermillion County Hosp., 576 N.E.2d 1285, 1287.
Iowa
Nelson v. Winnebago Industries, Inc., 619 N.W.2d 385, 388.
Children v. Burton, 331 N.W.2d 673, 678, certiorari denied 464 U.S. 848, 104 S.Ct. 155, 78 L.Ed.2d 143 (1983).
Valadez v. City of Des Moines, 324 N.W.2d 475, 477.
Zohn v. Menard, Inc., 598 N.W.2d 323, 326.
Md.
Montgomery Ward v. Wilson, 339 Md. 701, 664 A.2d 916, 928.
Mass.
Beaumont v. Segal, 283 N.E.2d 858, 860.
Mass.
Ortiz v. County of Hampden, 16 Mass.App.Ct. 138, 449 N.E.2d 1227, 1228, 1229.
Mich.
Adams v. Nat’l Bank of Detroit, 444 Mich. 329, 340, 353, 508 N.W.2d 464, 468, 474.
Lewis v. Farmer Jack Division, Inc., 415 Mich. 212, 327 N.W.2d 893, 901.