Nuisance

About

Nuisance is a common law tort with roots tracing back to archaic nocence, derived through French noisance from Latin nocere, meaning "to hurt." The term describes something that causes offense, annoyance, trouble, or injury. Nuisance can be categorized as either public or private. A public nuisance, as defined by English scholar Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, is an act not warranted by law or an omission to discharge a legal duty that obstructs or causes inconvenience or damage to the public in the exercise of rights common to all subjects. Private nuisance, by contrast, involves the interference with the rights of specific individuals. Nuisance represents one of the oldest causes of action in common law, with cases framed in nuisance appearing almost from the beginning of recorded case law. The concept signifies that the "right of quiet enjoyment" is being disrupted to such a significant degree that a tort is being committed.