The K-Zone: tort

It is a philosophical principal of UK law that people are expected to conduct themselves in such a way as to minimize the harm or injury they do to others. This principle is reflected in the large body of `tort law'. The word `tort' is derived from the latin word `tortus', meaning a `wrong', in the sense discussed above. `Tort' or `tort law' is the body of law concerned with allowing the victims of harmful actions, whether caused deliberately or by negligence (see: Negligence) to claim compensation from the perpetrator. In English law torts are distinct from criminal offences (see: CriminalLaw), and are handled differently by the courts, even though specific actions may be hard to assign to one category rather than the other.

TortLaw