Chart of Assignments
Torts, Fall 2019
Eric E. Johnson, OU Law

Updated as of: November 21, 2019

→ Jump ahead to: List of all assignments by topic.
→ Jump ahead to: Week 15.

Where and When:
SECTION TWO (course/section 5144-601): Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 1:00 - 2:15 p.m., Classroom 5
SECTION FOUR (course/section 5144-603): Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 10:30 - 11:45 a.m., Classroom 6

Day by Day:
Week No 1
MONDAY Aug 19 No 1
1. Welcome, Class Parameters
No reading.
2. The Place of Torts and a Model Tort
Read all of TC&C Chapter 1 "Basic Concepts."
TUESDAY Aug 20 No 2
3. Blackletter Overview
Read all of TC&C Chapter 2 "An Overview of Tort Law."
WEDNESDAY Aug 21 No 3
3. Blackletter Overview (continued)
Read all of TC&C Chapter 3, "Introduction to Negligence."
Week No 2
MONDAY Aug 26 No 4
3. Blackletter Overview (continued)
No new reading. Re-review the material we covered on the mindmap.
TUESDAY Aug 27 No 5
3. Blackletter Overview (continued)
Re-review the material we covered up to this point.
In class, we will do a mock quiz as an exercise and go over the answers immediately afterward.
4. Procedural Context for Torts
Read all of TC&C Chapter 4 "An Example of a Negligence Case."
WEDNESDAY Aug 28 No 6
5. When and to Whom a Duty of Care is Owed
Read TC&C Chapter 5.A (pp. 78-79).
Read TC&C Chapter 5.B, but skip Kubert (pp. 79-89).
Week No 3
MONDAY Sept 2
NO CLASS TODAY
Labor Day
TUESDAY Sept 3 No 7
5. When and to Whom a Duty of Care is Owed (continued)
Prepare an answer to Problem: WZX Cash Patrol (TC&C p.88).
Read TC&C Chapter 5.D, but skip Tarasoff; do, however, read the paragraph "The Tarasoff Exception" (pp. 108-129).
WEDNESDAY Sept 4 No 8
6. Determining Breach, in General
Read TC&C Chapter 6.A (pp.143-156).
Read Edwards: Howard v. Collins & Aikman (pp. 131-158).
Week No 4
MONDAY Sept 9 No 9
7. The Reasonable Person Standard of Care
Read TC&C Chapter 6 §B and §C, but skip Breunig. (pp.157-164, 169-174).
TUESDAY Sept 10 No 10
8. Negligence Per Se
Read TC&C Chapter 6 §D. (pp.174-196).
Prepare an answer to Problem: Westbound Walker (TC&C p.195-196). (But don’t do the “SparkleStar Skate” problem.)
WEDNESDAY Sept 11 No 11
9. The Role of Custom or Standard Practices
Read TC&C Chapter 6 §E. (pp.198-203).
10. Res Ipsa Loquitor
Read TC&C Chapter 6 §G. (pp.217-229).
Week No 5
MONDAY Sept 16 No 12
11. Special Rules for Land Owners and Occupiers
Read all of TC&C Chapter 6 §H, but stop when you get to Campbell; pp. 229-234.
Prepare an answer to A, B, and C in “Some Problems About Duties of Land Owners/Occupiers” (TC&C pp.244-245).
TUESDAY Sept 17 No 13
12. Actual Causation Basics
Read TC&C Chapter 7 §§A–E; pp.260-268.
Read the subsection at the end of TC&C Chapter 7 §F titled “Note on ‘Substantial Factor.”; pp. 281-282.
WEDNESDAY Sept 18 No 14
Discussion about exam techniques; in-class review exercises
Read Tip Sheet on Multiple-Choice Questions [.pdf]
Read Tip Sheet on Exam Writing [.pdf]
Read Three Examples of Exam Writing [.pdf]
Week No 6
MONDAY Sept 23 No 15
13. Proving Actual Causation
Watch A Civil Action (film) (many copies on DVD are on reserve in the library; streaming is available via various providers including Amazon Prime and YouTube)
Read Anderson v. Cryovac documents nos. 1-6 (summary judgment papers, order, and trial plans):
01. Summary Judgment Motion of Grace
02. Summary Judgment Brief of Grace
03. Summary Judgment Order
04. Beatrice’s Trial Plan
05. Grace’s Trial Plan
06. Plaintiffs’ Trial Plan
36. Insurance
No reading.
37. Statutes of Limitation and Repose
No reading.
TUESDAY Sept 24 No 16
14. Multiplicity Issues
Read TC&C Chapter 7 §G, but skip Sindell; pp. 282-298.
Prepare an answer to the “Nighttime Hit and Run” problem (TC&C p. 314).
WEDNESDAY Sept 25 No 17
15. Proximate Causation Basics
Read TC&C Chapter 8 §§A-D; pp. 315-338.
Week No 7
MONDAY Sept 30 No 18
16. Various Tests for Proximate Causation
Read TC&C Chapter 8 §E; pp. 338-352.
TUESDAY Oct 1 No 19
17. Existence of an Injury
Read TC&C Chapter 9, but skip Herskovits and the questions addressing Herskovits; pp. 353-355, 364-369.
18. Plaintiff’s Negligence (Contributory and Comparative)
Read TC&C Chapter 10 §§A–B, but skip Coleman and questions addressing Coleman; pp. 370-372, 384-395.
Prepare answers to “Some Problems on Applying Comparative Negligence Statutes” (TC&C p. 394-395).
WEDNESDAY Oct 2 No 20
Class cancelled for §4; class held for §2.
Labor Day
19. Assumption of Risk, Waivers, and Releases
Read TC&C Chapter 10 §C; pp. 395-418.
Week No 8
MONDAY Oct 7 No 21
19. Assumption of Risk, Waivers, and Releases (continued)
Re-review the slides on we did in class on October 2 concerning waiver/release/assumption-of-risk documents.
Re-review the Hulsey and Hiett cases in TC&C Chapter 10 §C; pp. 401-418.
TUESDAY Oct 8 No 22
20. Professional Negligence /Medical Malpractice and Medical Battery
Read TC&C Chapter 11 §A–C; pp. 420-433.
Read Edwards: Sawyer v. St. Joseph’s Hospital, pp. 1-6(except last ¶), 9(last ¶)–14(§ break), 17-48.
WEDNESDAY Oct 9 No 23
SPECIAL NOTE: Class cancelled for §4 only. Class held for §2.
21. Informed Consent Actions
Read TC&C Chapter 11 §D, but skip Largey and questions addressing Largey; pp. 433–436.
Read Edwards: Campbell v. Pitt County Memorial Hospital, pp. 51-113.
Week No 9
MONDAY Oct 14 No 23
SPECIAL NOTE: Class is cancelled for §2 only. Class held for §4.
21. Informed Consent Actions
Read TC&C Chapter 11 §D, but skip Largey and questions addressing Largey; pp. 433–436.
Read Edwards: Campbell v. Pitt County Memorial Hospital, pp. 51-113.
TUESDAY Oct 15 No 24
22. Strict Liability
Read TC&C Chapter 13 §A–E; pp. 29–51.
WEDNESDAY Oct 16 No 25
22. Strict Liability (continued)
Read TC&C Chapter 13 §G–H; pp. 68–80.
23. Products Liability
Read TC&C Chapter 14 §A through first portion of F (stop at Toyota); pp. 81–101.
Week No 10
MONDAY Oct 21 No 26
23. Products Liability (continued)
Read TC&C Chapter 14 remainder of §F; pp. 101–122.
Do the “Hot Water” problem in TC&C Chapter 14, pp 121–122.
TUESDAY Oct 22 No 27
23. Products Liability (continued)
Read Edwards: Lakey v. Sta-Rite, 178-220, 222-230.
Introductory matter for Part VI: Intentional Torts
Read all of TC&C Chapter 16; pp. 124-132.
WEDNESDAY Oct 23 No 28
24. Battery and Assault
Read TC&C Chapter 17, but skip Fisher and Bohrmann; pp. 133-141, 149-154.
Prepare answers to the check-your-understanding questions on pp. 153–154.
25. False Imprisonment
Read TC&C Chapter 18, but skip all cases; pp. 155-160.
Week No 11
MONDAY Oct 28 No 29
25. False Imprisonment (continued)
Briefly re-review pp. 155-160.
26. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (Outrage)
Read all of TC&C Chapter 18; pp. 177-194
TUESDAY Oct 29 No 30
27. Trespass to Land
Read TC&C Chapter 19, but skip "Trespass by Airplane"; pp. 195-201; 204-209
28. Trespass to Chattels and Conversion
Read TC&C Chapter 20, portion about trespass to chattels; pp. 210-227
WEDNESDAY Oct 30 No 31
28. Trespass to Chattels and Conversion (continued)
Read TC&C Chapter 20, portion about conversion; pp. 227-250
34. Immunities and Tort Liability of the Government
We covered this in class on this day. There was no reading for this topic.
Week No 12
MONDAY Nov 4 No 32
29. Defenses to Intentional Torts
Read TC&C Chapter 21, portion over pp. 251-267, 274-282
TUESDAY Nov 5 No 33
29. Defenses to Intentional Torts (continued)
Read TC&C Chapter 21, portion over pp. 282-289
30. General Issues in Remedies
Read all of TC&C Chapter 22; pp. 302-316
Prepare an answer to Problem: Injunction on Ivan (TC&C p. 314).
WEDNESDAY Nov 6 No 34
31. Damages
Read TC&C Chapter 23, portion over pp. 317-319, 333-345
Prepare an answer to Problem: Amelia's Future Medical Care (TC&C p. 345).
Read TC&C Chapter 24, portion over pp. 346-347, 355-379
Week No 13
MONDAY Nov 11 No 35
32. Multiple Tortfeasors
Read TC&C Chapter 25, portion over pp. 398-410, 421-422
Prepare an answer to Problem: A Lucky Break for Bad Brakes? (TC&C p. 421).
33. Enforcing Judgments
No reading.
35. Thresholds of Life
Read TC&C Chapter 26, portion over pp. 423-436
TUESDAY Nov 12 No 36
38. Defamation
Read TC&C Chapter 28, portion over pp. 509-535
WEDNESDAY Nov 13 No 37
38. Defamation (continued)
Read TC&C Chapter 28, portion over pp. 536-561
PRACTICE EXAM
MULTIPLE-CHOICE PRACTICE (optional):
You can do the practice set of multiple-choice questions, available here. There is nothing to turn in -- you can self-grade these, using the answers here.
ESSAY PRACTICE (optional):
You can do the essay response for the practice exam and turn it in on paper at the beginning of class, in which case please print it one-sided and do not staple. Note that doing the essay response and turning it in is entirely optional and will not count in any manner for your grade. The exam booklet is here. The .DOCX template for your response is here. If you can't use the template, see these .PDF instructions here.
Before you do the practice exam, you are encouraged to re-review:
Tip Sheet on Multiple-Choice Questions [.pdf]
Tip Sheet on Exam Writing [.pdf]
Three Examples of Exam Writing [.pdf]
Week No 14
MONDAY Nov 18 No 38
PRACTICE EXAM (continued)
I will provide group feedback on the "This is How We Yodel, People" practice essay exam. I will also take requests on multiple choice questions to go over. I suggest you review the tip sheets and the practice exam materials before today's class. If you haven't already done the practice exam materials as a practice test, you might consider doing so at least informally before class. See Class No. 37, November 13, supra, for links to the tip sheets and practice exam materials.
38. Defamation (continued)
No additional reading
TUESDAY Nov 19 No 39
38. Defamation (continued)
If necessary; no additional reading
39. Privacy Torts
Read TC&C Chapter 29, portion over pp. 562-565
40. Right of Publicity
Nanotreatise on the Right of Publicity [pdf]
Eric E. Johnson, Disentangling the Right of Publicity, 111 Nw. U. L. Rev. 891 (2017) (selected pages) [pdf]
• Read the abstract and part of the introduction (891-894), Part II to end of II.A. (903-907), and Part III.A. (928-938), but skip all footnotes.
WEDNESDAY Nov 20 No 40
41. Transactional Torts
Read TC&C Chapter 27, selected portions regarding intentional economic interference and fraud: pp. 459-463; 471-484; 496-499
Week No 15
MONDAY Nov 25 No 41
REVIEW
Review your notes, and bring your questions.
Prepare an answer to the essay exam "Panic at the Telescope," or at least look it over and sketch an outline of a response. We'll go over it in class.

Topic by Topic:
PART I: Preliminaries
1. Welcome, Class Parameters
2. The Place of Torts and a Model Tort
Read all of TC&C Chapter 1, "Basic Concepts."
3. Blackletter Overview
Read all of TC&C Chapter 2, "An Overview of Tort Law."
Read all of TC&C Chapter 3, "Introduction to Negligence."
4. Procedural Context for Torts
Read all of TC&C Chapter 4 "An Example of a Negligence Case."
PART II: The Prima Facie Case for Negligence
SUBPART A: The Duty Element
5. When and to Whom a Duty of Care is Owed
Read TC&C Chapter 5.A (pp. 78-79).
Read TC&C Chapter 5.B, but skip Kubert (pp. 79-89).
Prepare an answer to Problem: WZX Cash Patrol (TC&C p.88).
Read TC&C Chapter 5.D, but skip Tarasoff; do, however, read the paragraph "The Tarasoff Exception" (pp. 108-129).
SUBPART B: The Breach Element
6. Determining Breach, in General
Read TC&C Chapter 6.A (pp.143-156).
Read Edwards: Howard v. Collins & Aikman (pp. 131-158).
7. The Reasonable Person Standard of Care
Read TC&C Chapter 6 §B and §C, but skip Breunig. (pp.157-164, 169-174).
8. Negligence Per Se
Read TC&C Chapter 6 §D. (pp.174-196).
Prepare an answer to Problem: Westbound Walker (TC&C p.195-196). (But don’t do the “SparkleStar Skate” problem.)
9. The Role of Custom or Standard Practices
Read TC&C Chapter 6 §E. (pp.198-203).
10. Res Ipsa Loquitor
Read TC&C Chapter 6 §G. (pp.217-229).
11. Special Rules for Land Owners and Occupiers
Read all of TC&C Chapter 6 §H, but stop when you get to Campbell; pp. 229-234.
Prepare an answer to A, B, and C in “Some Problems About Duties of Land Owners/Occupiers” (TC&C pp.244-245).
SUBPART C: The Actual Causation Element
12. Actual Causation Basics
Read TC&C Chapter 7 §§A–E; pp.260-268.
Read the subsection at the end of TC&C Chapter 7 §F titled “Note on ‘Substantial Factor.”; pp. 281-282.
13. Proving Actual Causation
Watch A Civil Action (film) (The library will have a total of nine copies on DVD, most 4- or 8-hour reserve; streaming is available via various providers
Read Anderson v. Cryovac documents nos. 1-6 (summary judgment papers, order, and trial plans):
01. Summary Judgment Motion of Grace
02. Summary Judgment Brief of Grace
03. Summary Judgment Order
04. Beatrice’s Trial Plan
05. Grace’s Trial Plan
06. Plaintiffs’ Trial Plan
14. Multiplicity Issues
Read TC&C Chapter 7 §G, but skip Sindell; pp. 282-298.
Prepare an answer to the “Nighttime Hit and Run” problem (TC&C p. 314).
SUBPART D: The Proximate Causation Element
15. Proximate Causation Basics
Read TC&C Chapter 8 §§A-D; pp. 315-338.
16. Various Tests for Proximate Causation
Read TC&C Chapter 8 §E; pp. 338-352.
SUBPART E: The Injury Element
17. Existence of an Injury
Read TC&C Chapter 9, but skip Herskovits and the questions addressing Herskovits; pp. 353-355, 364-369.
PART III: Affirmative Defenses to Negligence
18. Plaintiff’s Negligence (Contributory and Comparative)
Read TC&C Chapter 10 §§A–B, but skip Coleman and questions addressing Coleman; pp. 370-372, 384-395.
Prepare answers to “Some Problems on Applying Comparative Negligence Statutes” (TC&C p. 394-395).
19. Assumption of Risk, Waivers, and Releases
Read TC&C Chapter 10 §C; pp. 395-418.
PART IV: Liability Relating to Medical Care
20. Professional Negligence /Medical Malpractice and Medical Battery
Read TC&C Chapter 11 §A–C; pp. 420-433.
Read Edwards: Sawyer v. St. Joseph’s Hospital, pp. 1-6(except last ¶), 9(last ¶)–14(§ break), 17-48.
21. Informed Consent Actions
Read TC&C Chapter 11 §D, but skip Largey and questions addressing Largey; pp. 433–436.
Read Edwards: Campbell v. Pitt County Memorial Hospital, pp. 51-113.
PART V: Dealing with Accidents Outside of Negligence
22. Strict Liability
Read TC&C Chapter 13 §A–E; pp. 29–51.
Read TC&C Chapter 13 §G–H; pp. 68–80.
23. Products Liability
Read TC&C Chapter 14 §A through first portion of F (stop at Toyota); pp. 81–101.
Read TC&C Chapter 14 remainder of §F; pp. 101–122.
Prepare answers to the “Hot Water” problem in TC&C Chapter 14, pp. 121–122.
Read Edwards: Lakey v. Sta-Rite, 178-220, 222-230.
PART VI: Intentional Torts
Read all of TC&C Chapter 16; pp. 124-132.
24. Battery and Assault
Read TC&C Chapter 17, but skip Fisher and Bohrmann; pp. 133-141, 149-154.
Prepare answers to the check-your-understanding questions on pp. 153-154.
25. False Imprisonment
Read TC&C Chapter 18, but skip all cases; pp. 155-160.
26. Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (Outrage)
Read all of TC&C Chapter 18; pp. 177-194
27. Trespass to Land
Read TC&C Chapter 19, but skip "Trespass by Airplane"; pp. 195-201, 204-209
28. Trespass to Chattels and Conversion
Read TC&C Chapter 20, portion about trespass to chattels; pp. 210-227
Read TC&C Chapter 20, portion about conversion; pp. 227-250
29. Defenses to Intentional Torts
Read TC&C Chapter 21, portion over pp. 251-267, 274-282
Read TC&C Chapter 21, portion over pp. 282-289
PART VII: Remedies and Issues Concerning Parties
30. General Issues in Remedies
Read all of TC&C Chapter 22; pp. 302-316
Prepare an answer to Problem: Injunction on Ivan (TC&C p. 314).
31. Damages
Read TC&C Chapter 23, portion over pp. 317-319, 333-345
Prepare an answer to Problem: Amelia's Future Medical Care (TC&C p. 345).
Read TC&C Chapter 24, portion over pp. 346-347, 355-379
32. Multiple Tortfeasors
Read TC&C Chapter 25, portion over pp. 398-410, 421-422
Prepare an answer to Problem: A Lucky Break for Bad Brakes? (TC&C p. 421).
33. Enforcing Judgments
No reading.
34. Immunities and Tort Liability of the Government
No reading.
35. Thresholds of Life
Read TC&C Chapter 26, portion over pp. 423-436
PART VIII: Some Practical Pitfalls
36. Insurance
No reading.
37. Statutes of Limitation and Repose
No reading.
PART IX: Oblique Torts
38. Defamation
Read TC&C Chapter 28, portion over pp. 509-535
Read TC&C Chapter 28, portion over pp. 536-561
39. Privacy Torts
Read TC&C Chapter 29, portion over pp. 562-565
40. Right of Publicity
Nanotreatise on the Right of Publicity [pdf]
Eric E. Johnson, Disentangling the Right of Publicity, 111 Nw. U. L. Rev. 891 (2017) (selected pages) [pdf]
• Read the abstract and part of the introduction (891-894), Part II to end of II.A. (903-907), and Part III.A. (928-938), but skip all footnotes.
41. Transactional Torts
Read TC&C Chapter 27, selected portions regarding intentional economic interference and fraud: pp. 459-463; 471-484; 496-499








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