Terms: Property Torts

Chattel

Personal property rather than land or a permanent attachment to land.

Conversion

Intentional exercise of serious dominion over another's personal property inconsistent with the owner's rights; good faith is not automatically a defense.

Personal property

Movable property or other property interests distinct from land and permanent attachments; also called chattel or personalty.

Real property

Land and permanent attachments to land, such as buildings.

Slander of quality (trade libel)

False unprivileged statement disparaging the quality of another's product or property, causing third parties to avoid it and measurable loss.

Slander of title

False unprivileged statement casting doubt on someone's property ownership or title and causing measurable economic loss.

Substantial deprivation

Loss of a meaningful amount of time or use of personal property; a momentary trivial interference generally does not support trespass to chattel.

Trespass to chattel

See trespass to personal property: intentional interference causing damage, substantial loss of use, or dispossession.

Trespass to land

Intentional unauthorized entry onto or into another's land, unauthorized remaining, or failure to remove an item when under a duty to do so; physical damage is unnecessary.

Trespass to personal property

Intentional interference with someone's chattel that damages it, substantially deprives use, or dispossesses the rightful possessor; minor interference may not qualify.