Rylands v Fletcher: Difference between revisions

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{{cn}}{{cite|Rylands|Fletcher|1868|UKHL|1}} is, with {{casenote|Donoghue|Stevenson}} one of the foundational cases in the [[common law]] relating to [[tort]].
The defendant, Fletcher, owned a mill and employed a contractor to build a reservoir — dramatic chord — ''over a disused mine'' — on their land. The contractors noticed the mines, but continued to work without blocking them up.
The defendant, Fletcher, owned a mill and employed a contractor to build a reservoir — dramatic chord — ''over a disused mine'' — on their land. The contractors noticed the mines, but continued to work without blocking them up.


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By analogy to the rule relating to [[domestic animal]]s, Blackburn J thought Fletcher should be responsible for the damage as it was a natural consequence of a propensity of penned water that Fletcher knew about (that it was liable to make things wet if it escaped).
By analogy to the rule relating to [[domestic animal]]s, Blackburn J thought Fletcher should be responsible for the damage as it was a natural consequence of a propensity of penned water that Fletcher knew about (that it was liable to make things wet if it escaped).
{{c|Tort}}

Latest revision as of 13:30, 14 August 2024

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Rylands v Fletcher [1868] UKHL 1 is, with Donoghue v Stevenson one of the foundational cases in the common law relating to tort.

The defendant, Fletcher, owned a mill and employed a contractor to build a reservoir — dramatic chord — over a disused mine — on their land. The contractors noticed the mines, but continued to work without blocking them up.

The reservoir burst. It leaked into the disused mine. From there it spread to a working mine owned by the claimant who happened to be — dramatic chord — a neighbour by the name of Rylands.

By analogy to the rule relating to domestic animals, Blackburn J thought Fletcher should be responsible for the damage as it was a natural consequence of a propensity of penned water that Fletcher knew about (that it was liable to make things wet if it escaped).