Vicarious Liability: Critique and Reform (Hart Studies in Private Law)

"The scope of vicarious liability has significantly expanded since its original conception. Today employers are being found liable for actions of employees that they did not authorise, and never would have authorised if asked. They are being held liable for an employee's criminal activity. In the related strict liability field of non-delegable duties, they are being held liable for wrongdoing of independent contractors. Notions of strict liability have grown increasingly isolated in the law of tort, given the exponential growth in the tort of negligence. They require intellectual justification. Such a justification has proven to be elusive and largely unsatisfactory in relation to vicarious liability and to concepts of non-delegable duty. The law of three jurisdictions studied has now apparently embraced the 'enterprise risk' theory to rationalise the imposition of vicarious liability. This book subjects this theory to strong critique by arguing that it has many weaknesses, which the courts should acknowledge. It suggests that a rationalisation of the liability of an employer for the actions of an employee lies in more traditional legal doctrine which would serve to narrow the circumstances in which an employer is legally liable for a wrong committed by an employee."--Bloomsbury Publishing Table of Contents Introduction Part I: Outline of Development of Vicarious Liability in Chosen Jurisdictions Introduction to Part I 1. Developments in English Legal History Historical Development of Vicarious Liability Until the Early Twentieth Century Vicarious Liability in the Context of Other Developments in Tort Law Summary and Reflections on Historical Development of Vicarious Liability 2. Developments in United Kingdom Vicarious Liability Law: Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries Development Most Recent Developments Some Critique and Reflection on United Kingdom Case Law 3. Developments in Australian Case Law Historical Development Most Recent Developments Some Critique and Reflection on Australian Case Law 4. Developments in North American Case Law Canadian Development United States Developments Conclusion to Part I Part II: Theories of Vicarious Liability Introduction to Part II 5. Enterprise Risk Theory Scholarly Support for Enterprise Risk Theory 6. Criticisms of Enterprise Risk Theory Summary of Weaknesses in Relation to Enterprise Risk as a Species of Strict Liability to Justify the Imposition of Vicarious Liability 7. Other Theories Evidentiary Considerations Deep Pockets Fair, Just and Reasonable Conclusion 8. Agency Theory Introduction to Agency Theory of Vicarious Liability Pragmatism and Principle The Law of Agency Conclusion to Part II Part III: Miscellaneous Issues Introduction to Part III 9. The Relationships to Which Vicarious Liability Might Attach Establishing that an Employment Relationship Exists The Exceptionality of Making One Person Liable for the Actions of Another Borrowed Employees and the Possibility of Dual Vicarious Liability Conclusion 10. Non-Delegable Duties Relationship with Vicarious Liability Development of the Non-Delegable Duty Concept in the United Kingdom Australian Developments Criticisms of the Concept of a Non-Delegable Duty Conclusion 11. Punitive Damages Punitive or Exemplary Damages Nature of Punitive Damages Reflections on Punitive Damages in the Vicarious Liability Context Conclusion Conclusion to Part III Conclusions Index