What legal concept best describes unlawful restraint of a person?

False imprisonment is the legal concept that best describes the unlawful restraint of a person. It refers to an act whereby a person is intentionally confined or restrained against their will within a bounded area, and this confinement is without legal justification. For an act to qualify as false imprisonment, there must be a clear intention to restrict the individual's freedom of movement, and the person must be aware of this restriction at the time it occurs.

This definition is important because it encapsulates both the idea of intentionality and the absence of legal authority. Simply detaining someone without proper cause or justification qualifies as false imprisonment, even if it lasts only for a short duration.

In contrast, while terms like "imprisonment," "detention," and "confinement" relate to limiting someone's freedom, they do not capture the specific legal violation inherent in false imprisonment. "Imprisonment" typically refers to a lawful condition established by court order or due process. Similarly, "detention" may imply a lawful hold for investigation by authorities, and "confinement" lacks the essential element of lack of consent or legal authority that makes false imprisonment particularly egregious. Thus, false imprisonment accurately encapsulates the unlawful nature of such restraint.