Opinion ID: 802109
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Federal Tort Claims Act and California Law

Text: The Avinas’ complaint contains two tort claims against the United States Government under the FTCA. The Avinas allege claims for: (1) assault and battery; and (2) intentional infliction of emotional distress. Because the Avinas’ tort claims are brought under the FTCA, and the events at issue occurred in California, we apply California tort law. See Richards v. United States, 369 U.S. 1, 7 (1962). Under California law, to prevail on the tort of assault, the plaintiff must establish that: (1) the defendant threatened to touch the plaintiff in a harmful or offensive manner; (2) it reasonably appeared to the plaintiff that the defendant was about to carry out the threat; (3) the plaintiff did not consent to the defendant’s conduct; (4) the plaintiff was harmed; and (5) the defendant’s conduct was a substantial factor in causing the plaintiff’s harm. Judicial Council of Cal., Civil Jury Instructions No. 1301 (“Assault”) (2012); Tekle v. United States, 511 F.3d 839, 855 (9th Cir. 2007) (defining civil assault under California law).2 To prevail on a claim of battery under California law, a plaintiff must establish that: (1) the defendant touched the plaintiff or caused the plaintiff to be touched with the intent to harm or offend the plaintiff; (2) the plaintiff did not consent to the touching; (3) the plaintiff was harmed or offended by defendant’s conduct; and (4) a reasonable person in plaintiff’s situation would have been offended by the touching. Judicial Council of Cal., Civil Jury Instructions No. 1300 (“Battery”) 2 An assault also can occur under California law when a defendant “attempts” a battery. See Judicial Council of Cal., Civil Jury Instructions No. 1301 (“Assault”) (2012); 5 B.E. Witkin, Summary of Cal. Law, Torts § 381, p. 598 (10th ed. 2005) AVINA v. UNITED STATES 6655 (2012); Ashcraft v. King, 278 Cal. Rptr. 900, 903-04 (Ct. App. 1991) (defining civil battery under California law).3 To prevail on a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress under California law, a plaintiff must establish: “(1) extreme and outrageous conduct by the defendant with the intention of causing, or reckless disregard of the probability of causing, emotional distress; (2) the plaintiff’s suffering severe or extreme emotional distress; and (3) actual and proximate causation of the emotional distress by the defendant’s outrageous conduct.” Hughes v. Pair, 209 P.3d 963, 976 (Cal. 2009) (internal quotation marks omitted). In addition, because the Avinas’ claims concern the conduct of peace officers acting in their official capacities, the Avinas must also establish, for each cause of action, that the officers used “unreasonable force.” Munoz v. City of Union City, 16 Cal. Rptr. 3d 521, 539 (Ct. App. 2004). In California, “[c]laims that police officers used excessive force in the course of an arrest, investigatory stop or other seizure of a free citizen are analyzed under the reasonableness standard of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). It is this last element — the “unreasonable force” element — that the parties dispute.