Harvey F. Siegel, lawyers in Buffalo, NY, New York

Alienation of a Spouse's Affections

Under the common law, there existed a tort for the alienation of a spouse's affections. Although most states have enacted statutes that have abolished the tort, there are approximately nine states that permit such a tort action to be brought against a third party. More...

Acts of God

In the context of the law, an "act of God" is an accident caused by extraordinary natural forces. An accident caused by lightning, a flood, a hurricane, or an earthquake may constitute an act of God. More...

Defenses to Actions Involving Recreational Boating Accidents

When a plaintiff files a lawsuit regarding a recreational boating accident, the defendant may claim defenses that are similar to those available in any other accident case. Such defenses include that the accident was inevitable, that the plaintiff was contributorily negligent or assumed the risk, that there was a superseding cause, or that the plaintiff's action is barred by the doctrine of laches or by a statute of limitations. More...

Specific Intent vs. General Intent

In order to prove an intentional tort, such as assault or battery, the plaintiff must show that the defendant intended to commit the tort. Intent may be either specific or general. More...

Abuse of Process

It should be obvious that the purpose of the civil justice system is to permit people to obtain justice. Unfortunately, people sometimes try to use the civil justice system for improper purposes, such as revenge. As one would expect, using the civil justice system solely for improper purposes is prohibited by law. The personal injury lawsuit that addresses improper use of the civil justice system, and improper use of the criminal justice system other than malicious prosecution, is known as abuse of process.More...