Definition

Noun: A person or entity that commits a civil wrong, known as a tort, which causes harm or loss to another, resulting in legal liability. A tortfeasor is the defendant in a tort lawsuit.

Usage

The term "tortfeasor" is a formal legal term. It is used specifically in the context of civil law to identify the party alleged to have caused injury through negligence, intentional misconduct, or other actionable wrongs that are not based on a contract. * The injured party sued the tortfeasor for damages. * In cases with multiple defendants, they may be considered joint tortfeasors.

Examples

• The court found the negligent driver to be the tortfeasor responsible for the pedestrian's injuries.
• The company was identified as the tortfeasor in the product liability case.
• Determining the primary tortfeasor can be complex when several parties are at fault.

Advanced Usage

• Joint and Several Liability: A legal doctrine where multiple tortfeasors can each be held responsible for the full extent of the damages caused.
• Intentional Tortfeasor: A specific type of tortfeasor who commits a wrong deliberately, such as in cases of assault or fraud, as opposed to one who acts negligently.

Variants and Related Words

• Tortfeasance (noun): The act or fact of committing a tort.
• Tortious (adjective): Of the nature of or pertaining to a tort; wrongful. (e.g., "tortious conduct").

Synonyms

• Wrongdoer (in a civil context)
• Defendant (in a tort case)

Notes on Meaning

The term refers exclusively to liability under civil law (tort law), not criminal law. A person can be both a criminal (e.g., for reckless driving) and a tortfeasor (for the resulting civil damages) based on the same act, but the terms are legally distinct.

Noun

1. a party who has committed a tort