Amherst, MA asked in Civil Litigation and Civil Rights for Massachusetts

Q: Difference between false arrest and false imprisonment?

Hello,

I filled a lawsuit because I was detained by security guards after I was accused of sleeping on a couch and therefore 'trespassing' and 'stealing' there was no evidence to support this and the company never proved their claims nor was I charged by police.

I attempted to leave and was shouted down, I started moving again and they were screaming at me to not leave. I called 911 at that point and told them what happened and they told the security officers they had to let me go.

On the surface it would seem that 'false imprisonment' would be like being placed in a cell; but it sounded similar to false arrest. And I am not sure which cause of action to cite on my lawsuit. Can someone explain the difference between the two?

1 Lawyer Answer
Gary Kollin
Gary Kollin
Answered
  • Civil Rights Lawyer
  • Fort Lauderdale, FL

A: It is amazing what you can find on the internet by googling

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-false-imprisonment.html

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