What does a tort refer to in legal terms?

A tort refers to a wrongful act or infringement of a right leading to civil legal liability, which does not involve a breach of contract. This means that tort law deals with situations where one party's actions cause harm to another, resulting in a legal claim for damages. For instance, negligence, defamation, or personal injury cases are all examples of torts where the injured party can seek compensation for the harm suffered without the relationship being defined by a contract.

Understanding that a tort is a civil matter rather than a criminal one is also important. It distinguishes the context of tort law from criminal law, which deals with offenses against the state or conduct detrimental to society. This emphasizes the individual nature of torts, allowing victims to seek remedies in civil court while addressing their grievances directly against the party responsible for the wrongful act.