DECEIT

deceit,n.1. The act of intentionally giving a false impression <the juror’s deceit led the lawyer

to believe that she  was not biased>.2.  A false statement  of fact  made by a  person  knowingly  or

recklessly  (i.e.,  not  caring  whether  it  is true  or  false) with  the  intent that  someone  else  will act

upon it. See fraudulent misrepresentation under MISREPRESENTATION. [Cases: Fraud    3.] 3. A

tort arising from a false representation made knowingly or recklessly with the intent that another

person should detrimentally rely on it <the new homeowner sued both the seller and the realtor for

deceit after discovering termites>. See FRAUD; MISREPRESENTATION. — deceive,vb.

“The tort of deceit consists in the act of making a wilfully false statement with the intent that

the plaintiff shall act in reliance on it, and with the result that he does so act and suffers harm in

consequence…. There are four main elements in this tort: (1) there must be a false representation

of fact; (2) the representation must be made with knowledge of its falsity; (3) it must be made with

the intention that it should be acted on by the plaintiff, or by a class of persons which includes the

plaintiff, in the  manner which resulted in damage to  him; (4) it must be  proved that the plaintiff

has  acted  upon  the  false  statement  and  has  sustained  damage  by  so  doing.”  R.F.V.  Heuston,

Salmond on the Law of Torts 387 (17th ed. 1977). [Blacks Law 8th]