Legal Definitions - no-duty doctrine

The no-duty doctrine is a legal rule that states that a defendant who does not owe a duty to the plaintiff is not responsible for any harm or injury caused to the plaintiff. This means that if there is no legal obligation for the defendant to act in a certain way towards the plaintiff, then the defendant cannot be held liable for any damages or injuries that the plaintiff may suffer.

For example, if a person is walking down the street and suddenly trips and falls, they cannot sue the city for damages because the city does not owe them a duty to keep the sidewalks free from all hazards. Similarly, if a person is injured while trespassing on someone else's property, the property owner is not responsible for their injuries because they did not owe the trespasser a duty to keep the property safe.

Another example of the no-duty doctrine is when a property owner has an obvious hazard on their property, such as a large hole in the ground, and they do not have a duty to warn or protect invitees from that hazard. If someone falls into the hole and gets injured, the property owner is not liable because the hazard was obvious and the injured person should have been aware of it.

In summary, the no-duty doctrine is a legal principle that protects defendants from liability when they do not owe a duty to the plaintiff. This doctrine is important because it helps to prevent frivolous lawsuits and ensures that defendants are only held responsible for harm that they could have reasonably prevented.