Invitee facts for kids
Imagine you go to a store to buy a new video game. When you walk into that store, you become what the law calls an invitee. This means the store owner has invited you to come onto their property, usually to do business.
What is an Invitee?
An invitee is someone who is asked to come onto another person's property. This invitation is often for a business reason. For example, if you visit a store, a restaurant, or a movie theater, you are an invitee. The owner of the property wants you there, usually because they hope you will buy something or use their services.
Why is this important?
The idea of an invitee is important in something called tort law. Tort law deals with civil wrongs, like when someone gets hurt because of another person's actions or lack of action. In many places, the law says that property owners have a special responsibility to keep invitees safe. This responsibility is called a "duty of care."
What is a Duty of Care?
A "duty of care" means that the owner of a property must take reasonable steps to make sure their place is safe for invitees. They need to look out for dangers and fix them. For example, if there's a spill on the floor in a store, the owner should clean it up quickly. If a step is broken, they should fix it or put up a warning sign. This helps prevent people from getting hurt while they are visiting.
Examples of Invitees
- A customer shopping in a supermarket.
- Someone visiting a library to borrow books.
- A person going to a doctor's office for an appointment.
- A student attending a school (the school invites students to learn).
In all these cases, the property owner has a duty to keep the place reasonably safe for the people they have invited.
