Facts
Pickles owned land through which water percolated to the corporation's reservoir. When the corporation would not buy his land at his price, he sank shafts that interfered with the flow, out of spite.
Issue
Does a malicious motive make an otherwise lawful use of one's land actionable?
Held
Pickles was not liable. What he did was lawful, and his bad motive did not make it unlawful.
Principle
Motive is generally irrelevant in : a lawful act does not become a tort because it is done maliciously.
Why it matters
The leading authority on motive and malice in tort ().
Cited in these chapters
Cite this page
Bradford Corporation v Pickles [1895] AC 587 (Lanbuk) <https://www.lanbuk.com/llb/torts/cases/bradford-corporation-v-pickles> accessed 31 October 2026
This summary is a Lanbuk study aid based on the generally known facts and reports of the case. It is not legal advice.