Also known as: run at large · runs at large · ran at large · at large · running loose
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
2 senses
An animal that has escaped its enclosure and wanders freely. The owner bears liability for damage the animal causes during this period.
An animal that has escaped its enclosure and wanders freely. The owner bears liability for damage the animal causes during this period.
Rina Rahman kept cattle in a fenced pasture. When a gate failed during a storm the animals escaped and trampled crops on Roger Ramirez's adjacent field. Ramirez sued for the loss. Because the cattle were running at large, Rahman was held liable for the full amount of the damage.
Ravi Reddy's dog broke through a backyard fence while officers responded to a reported assault. The dog bit a bystander before police captured it. The bystander sued Reddy. The court found the dog was running at large and imposed liability even though the escape occurred amid the ongoing emergency.
A candidate who seeks office representing an entire city, county, or state rather than a specific district.
Raymond Ramos ran for city council without a district designation. He campaigned across the entire municipality rather than a single ward. Opponents challenged his eligibility. Because Ramos was running at large, the election rules permitted his citywide candidacy.
A candidate who seeks office representing an entire city, county, or state rather than a specific district.
Each sense below has its own examples, sources, and questions.
Roland Rhodes left his horse unsecured overnight. The animal wandered onto a highway and caused a collision that injured Renee Rogers. Rogers sued Rhodes for negligence. The fact that the horse was running at large established the breach of the duty to confine livestock.
Rocky Mountain Mining kept a bull on its rural property. The bull broke free and entered a nearby subdivision, damaging several lawns and a parked vehicle. The vehicle owner sued the company. The bull's status as running at large triggered strict liability for the resulting harm.
Riverfront Developments maintained a flock of sheep. Several animals escaped through a broken fence and blocked a state highway for hours. A motorist injured while avoiding the sheep sued the company. The sheep were found to be running at large, supporting the claim for damages.
The owner is liable for damage caused by the animal while it is running at large. Liability arises because the owner failed to keep the animal confined. Courts treat the escaped condition itself as the basis for recovery.
No. The dictionary states that the owner remains liable for damage caused by animals running at large regardless of how the escape occurred. Emergency circumstances do not eliminate the owner's responsibility.
No. A candidate running at large campaigns for an office that represents the entire jurisdiction rather than one district. The dictionary definition confirms this usage applies to citywide, countywide, or statewide races.
…White) I believe the decision of the Court represents poor constitutional law and entails harmful consequences for the country at large. How serious these consequences may prove to be only time can tell. But the basic flaws in the Court's justification seem to me readily apparent now once all sides of the problem are…