What constitutes "false imprisonment"?

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False imprisonment is defined as unlawfully confining or restraining an individual against their will. This legal concept relies on the presence of an intentional act that restricts a person's freedom of movement. For an act to qualify as false imprisonment, there must be no legal justification for the confinement, making it unlawful.

In this context, the first choice precisely captures the essence of false imprisonment. It emphasizes the unlawful nature of the confinement and the element of coercion, which is central to the concept. False imprisonment does not require that the individual confined is physically restrained in a traditional sense; rather, any act that denies an individual the ability to leave, without legal justification, can constitute false imprisonment.

The other options present scenarios that either do not meet the criteria for false imprisonment or incorporate elements of legal justification. For example, detaining someone for questioning without evidence may seem intrusive, but it could be lawful under certain circumstances. Meanwhile, restricting freedom of movement with just cause indicates that there is a legal basis for the action, thus excluding it from the purview of false imprisonment. Lastly, using threats to compel someone to remain does involve coercion, but this does not necessarily lead to false imprisonment unless it results in actual confinement against the individual's will without legal justification.

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