What is the primary function of the tort system?

The primary function of the tort system is to provide compensation to victims of wrongs. This system focuses on addressing civil grievances where one party suffers harm due to the actions or negligence of another. By allowing individuals who have been wronged to seek monetary compensation, the tort system aims to restore them to the position they were in before the harm occurred, providing a remedy for the injury or loss they experienced.

The tort system also serves to deter future harmful conduct by holding individuals or entities accountable for their actions; however, its core mission remains centered on victim compensation. This principle emphasizes the importance of ensuring that those who suffer injuries can obtain restitution for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

The other options highlight aspects that are either not the primary goals of the tort system or fall under different legal frameworks. For instance, punishing criminal behavior is the focus of the criminal justice system, not the tort system. Regulating business practices pertains to administrative and regulatory law rather than tort law, while establishing laws governing personal conduct often overlaps with statutory law and criminal law, which do not primarily serve the tort system's purpose of compensating victims.