United Zinc & Chemical Co. v. Britt
Encyclopedia
United Zinc & Chemical Co. v. Britt, , was a case
decided by the Supreme Court of the United States
that limited liability
for landowners regarding injuries to child trespasser
s.
if the child had not been attracted to the land by the condition that injured him. This is case has since been overturned.
Legal case
A legal case is a dispute between opposing parties resolved by a court, or by some equivalent legal process. A legal case may be either civil or criminal...
decided by the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
that limited liability
Legal liability
Legal liability is the legal bound obligation to pay debts.* In law a person is said to be legally liable when they are financially and legally responsible for something. Legal liability concerns both civil law and criminal law. See Strict liability. Under English law, with the passing of the Theft...
for landowners regarding injuries to child trespasser
Trespasser
In the law of tort, property, and criminal law a trespasser is a person who commits the act of trespassing on a property, that is, without the permission of the owner. Being present on land as a trespasser thereto creates liability in the trespasser, so long as the trespass is intentional...
s.
Holding
The court held that a landowner was not liable under the attractive nuisance doctrineAttractive nuisance doctrine
In the law of torts, the attractive nuisance doctrine states that landowner may be held liable for injuries to children trespassing on the land if the injury is caused by a hazardous object or condition on the land that is likely to attract children who are unable to appreciate the risk posed by...
if the child had not been attracted to the land by the condition that injured him. This is case has since been overturned.