- respondeat superior
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re·spon·de·at superior /ri-'spän-dē-ət-/ n [Medieval Latin, let the superior give answer]: a doctrine in tort law that makes a master liable for the wrong of a servant; specif: the doctrine making an employer or principal liable for the wrong of an employee or agent if it was committed within the scope of employment or agencyto recover...upon a theory of respondeat superior, it is incumbent upon plaintiff to prove that the collision occurred while the driver was within the scope of his employment — Perdue v. Mitchell, 373 So. 2d 650 (1979) compare scope of employment; vicarious liability at liability 2b
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.
- respondeat superior
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n.(Latin) Let the superior respond; a doctrine holding that a master or employer is responsible for the actions of his or her servants or employees while they work within the scope of employment.
The Essential Law Dictionary. — Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008.
- respondeat superior
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(ruh-spon-dee-at soo-peer-ee-or) Latin for "let the master answer." A legal doctrine that holds the employer or principal responsible for the acts of its employees or agents committed within the scope of employment.Category: Employment Law & HR → Employee Rights
Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary. Gerald N. Hill, Kathleen Thompson Hill. 2009.
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Practical Law Dictionary. Glossary of UK, US and international legal terms. www.practicallaw.com. 2010.
- respondeat superior
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n. Latin Let the superior respond. The doctrine that an employer is held liable for all wrongful acts or any harm caused by an employee or agent acting within the scope of his employment or duties.See also scope of employment.
Webster's New World Law Dictionary. Susan Ellis Wild. 2000.
- respondeat superior
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(Latin: Let the master answer.)A common-law doctrine that makes an employer liable for the actions of an employee when the actions take place within the scope of employment.
Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005.
- respondeat superior
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I
[Latin, Let the master answer.] A common-law doctrine that makes an employer liable for the actions of an employee when the actions take place within the scope of employment.II Let the principal answer for the acts of his agent.
Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations.
- respondeat superior
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[rehs-pond-dee-at superior]n.Latin for "let the master answer," a key doctrine in the law of agency, which provides that a principal (employer) is responsible for the actions of his/her/its agent (employee) in the "course of employment." Thus, an agent who signs an agreement to purchase goods for his employer in the name of the employer can create a binding contract between the seller and the employer. Another example: if a delivery truck driver negligently hits a child in the street, the company for which the driver works will be liable for the injuries.
Law dictionary. EdwART. 2013.