What is transferred intent in the context of tort law?

Transferred intent is a fundamental concept in tort law that addresses situations where an individual's intent to commit a tort against one person inadvertently results in the commission of that tort against another person or in the commission of a different tort. This principle ensures that a defendant can still be held liable for their actions even if the specific outcome or target of their intent changes.

When a person intends to cause harm to one individual and accidentally harms another, or mistakenly believes they are committing one tort but actually commit another, transferred intent allows for liability to be assigned as if the intent had been directed toward the actual outcome. This doctrine encompasses certain torts such as assault, battery, trespass, and false imprisonment.

For instance, if a person intends to hit individual A but accidentally strikes individual B instead, the intent to commit that tort (battery) can be transferred from A to B. The defendant is held responsible for the unintentional consequences of their intended act, thus reflecting the principle that the law looks beyond the specific target of the conduct to hold the actor accountable for the tortious outcome of their actions.

Other options suggest limitations on the application of intent, with one implying that intent is not transferable between different tort types. However, transferred intent applies broadly to various torts