Philip Laws Leased an Apartment from Candice Sutton

question 37

Essay

Philip Laws leased an apartment from Candice Sutton. Laws had notified Sutton on more than one occasion that the wooden steps to his apartment were decaying and in need of repair. Laws claimed that he had to leave the outside light on to avoid portions of the steps that no longer would bear his weight when he came in at night. Sutton promised to repair the steps while Laws was away on a business trip. Accordingly, Laws did not leave lights on during his absence. When he returned three nights later, Laws was injured when one of the steps broke under his weight as he was entering his apartment. Laws sued Sutton. Sutton replied that she should not bear liability for Laws' injury because Laws knew of the condition of the steps and had not taken the customary precaution of lighting the area. Based on what you have learned in this chapter, decide the case.

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Definitions:

Ambivalent

Exhibiting mixed or contradictory feelings towards a person, object, or action, reflecting a state of uncertainty or fluctuation in emotional experience.

Avoidant

A personality trait or behavior characterized by the tendency to evade or withdraw from difficult situations or emotional engagement.

Securely Attached

Describes an attachment style in which individuals feel confident and trust their relationship partners to provide support and connection.

Stranger Anxiety

A form of distress that infants and young children experience when exposed to people unfamiliar to them, typically emerging around 6 to 9 months of age.