Civil wrongs that don't result in physical harm can fall into a category called dignitary torts, which are torts that have caused harm to a person's reputation or dignity. A few examples of dignitary torts are defamation, malicious prosecution, and abuse of process. Abuse of process refers to a person using the legal system in a way that is not necessarily serving the underlying legal action, but rather to achieve another purpose. Although this tort may sound similar to malicious prosecution, an abuse of process claim can be brought against someone even if the underlying cause of action for the lawsuit was valid.
This article will provide you with the general elements of an abuse of process claim and how it compares to a malicious prosecution claim.
Abuse of process is an intentional tort that arises when a person deliberately misuses a court process that is not justified by the underlying civil or criminal legal action. As with most torts, the elements that a plaintiff must prove in order to win his or her case will vary from state to state. However, the typical elements that a plaintiff must prove in an abuse of process lawsuit are:
For example, if a person uses a deposition for an ulterior motive that is not related to the lawsuit, then there may be an abuse of process claim available. Again, the lawsuit itself may be perfectly valid (as well as the cause of action involved), but the deposition in this example does not serve the purpose of the lawsuit.
Abuse of process and malicious prosecution are closely related, but each requires the plaintiff to prove different elements. A person may have a claim for malicious prosecution if someone maliciously starts or continues a criminal or civil proceeding against him or her without having probable cause. Abuse of process, on other hand, occurs when there is a valid reason or probable cause for the lawsuit, but a legal tool or process has been misused for ulterior purposes.
In order to be successful in a malicious prosecution lawsuit, the plaintiff must also show that the legal action was dismissed in favor of him or her. In comparison, an abuse of process lawsuit can be brought against someone regardless of whether there is an underlying legitimate cause of action for the legal action and whether or not the original case was dismissed.
For more information and resources related to this topic, you can visit FindLaw's section Emotional Distress, Privacy, and Dignitary Torts.
It can be frustrating to feel like someone is taking advantage of legal processes to get something they want from you. If you believe that you've been the victim of an abuse of process, or any other type of tort, and would like to learn about your legal options, you may want to contact a skilled personal injury attorney in your area.
