What constitutes a prima facie case of intentional misrepresentation?

A prima facie case of intentional misrepresentation requires the plaintiff to prove several key elements. One crucial aspect is that the defendant acted with the intent to induce reliance on the misrepresentation made. This means the defendant knowingly made false representations with the goal of persuading the plaintiff to act upon those misrepresentations.

In the context of intentional misrepresentation, intent is a critical factor. The plaintiff must demonstrate that the defendant had a specific purpose to deceive and cause the plaintiff to rely on false information, thereby suffering damages as a result of that reliance. This intent distinguishes intentional misrepresentation from other forms of misrepresentation that may not involve deceptive intent.

The other choices touch on issues that may appear relevant but do not satisfy the necessary criteria for establishing a prima facie case. Emotional damages, for instance, may result from misrepresentation but do not directly relate to proving intent or reliance. Similarly, if a plaintiff did not rely on the defendant's statements, there would be no basis for a claim of misrepresentation, since reliance is a fundamental prerequisite. Lastly, statements that are purely opinions rather than factually false assertions do not typically qualify for misrepresentation claims, as they do not present verifiable information that can mislead someone. Hence, the focus on intent