Law of Duress and Necessity

Nathan Tamblyn is Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter Law School.

• PROLOGUEComparative lawMethodologyCHAPTER 1 – TORT: INTIMIDATION AND DURESS BY THREATS1.1 Intimidation: English case law1.2 New Zealand case law1.3 Australian case law1.4 Canadian case law1.5 Hong Kong case law1.6 Intimidation and three-party cases1.7 The rationale for a tort of intimidation1.8 Unlawful acts1.9 Threatened breach of contract1.10 Threats of lawful action1.11 Defence of justification1.12 Duress by threats as a tortious defence1.13 ConclusionsCHAPTER 2 – CONTRACT: NECESSITY AND UNCONSCIONABLE BARGAIN2.1 English case law2.2 Australian case law2.3 New Zealand case law2.4 Hong Kong case law2.5 Canadian case law2.6 The rationale for unconscionable bargain2.7 The boundaries of unconscionable bargain2.8 ConclusionsCHAPTER 3 – CONTRACT: DURESS3.1 The test for contractual duress3.2 Threats to breach contract3.3 Lawful act duress3.4 Threats of prosecution and litigation3.5 Causation, and burden of proof3.6 Australian case law3.7 New Zealand case law3.8 Hong Kong case law3.9 Canadian case law3.10 The rationale for contractual duress3.11 The relationship with undue influence3.12 ConclusionsCHAPTER 4 – TORT AND CRIME: NECESSITY4.1 Private necessity in tort4.2 Private necessity in American tort law4.3 Public necessity in tort4.4 The rationale for tortious necessity4.5 Best interests intervention in crime and tort4.6 Lesser evil necessity in crime and tort4.7 ConclusionsCHAPTER 5 – CRIMINAL LAW: DURESS5.1 Types of threat5.2 Pain and internal causes5.3 Threats to whom?5.4 Perception and response