Tort Law

Serena Schuette

Tort Law

PA310-01

March 26, 2012

In this case we have a set of parents that want to sue the Church of the Divine Light for the wrongdoings that they forced upon their son. At the time of the incident their son was 15 and is still considered a minor. In a case like this the parents will sue on his behalf.

Rob Jr. was trying to leave to go home after a youth meeting at the church. When he tried to leave the youth leader came up with many excuses for him not to go, finally telling him if he left he would basically go to Hell. By saying these things to Rob Jr. it scared him so he stayed at the church. The youth leader made him send a letter to his family telling them he was staying with the church and not coming home, and demanding money. The parents agreed to meet to give Rob Jr. the money that the church was demanding and when they did they pulled him into the car and took him home. The church is guilty of kidnapping and blackmail. They made the minor stay with the church and leave his family by lying to him and scaring him with lies. They also demanded money to fund their cause at the church. They used their son against them. By having their son ask for the money the church knew the parents would give it to him, and then the church would take it from the child.

As for the suffering Rob Jr. had to endure, he was held under his own free will which would fall under false imprisonment, he also had to endure infliction of mental or emotional distress as well as extreme and outrageous conduct. The meaning of false imprisonment is when a person intentionally confines another person. The church did this by not letting Rob Jr. leave the church when he tried the first time. I lied and scared him into staying, so this was not done under his own free will. During this time the church also inflicted mental and emotional distress, this can be committed intentionally or recklessly. The elements to prove this in court are extreme and outrageous conduct,...