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Elements of False Arrest and Malicious Prosecution Explained

The Second Department reversed Supreme Court and dismissed plaintiff’s false arrest and malicious prosecution action. The court explained the elements of the two intentional torts:

“In order to prevail on a cause of action seeking to recover damages for false arrest or imprisonment, a plaintiff must prove that: (1) the defendant intended to confine the plaintiff; (2) the plaintiff was aware of the resulting confinement; (3) the plaintiff did not consent to the confinement; and (4) the confinement was not otherwise privileged” … . “The existence of probable cause serves as a legal justification for the arrest and an affirmative defense to the claim of false imprisonment or false arrest”… . Generally, information provided by an identified citizen accusing another individual of a specific crime is legally sufficient to provide the police with probable cause to arrest'” … . * * *

“The elements of the tort of malicious prosecution are: (1) the commencement or continuation of a criminal proceeding by the defendant against the plaintiff, (2) the termination of the proceeding in favor of the accused, (3) the absence of probable cause for the criminal proceeding and (4) actual malice” … . “Once a suspect has been indicted, . . . the indictment creates a presumption of probable cause to believe that the suspect committed the crime” … . “The presumption may be overcome only by evidence establishing that the police witnesses have not made a complete and full statement of facts either to the Grand Jury or to the District Attorney, that they have misrepresented or falsified evidence, [or] that they have withheld evidence or otherwise acted in bad faith” … . Williams v City of New York, 2014 NY Slip Op 01165, 2nd Dept 2-19-14

 

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