What is the term for detaining someone without legal authority?

The correct answer is false imprisonment, which refers to the unlawful detention of an individual without legal authority. This legal concept establishes that a person has been confined or restrained against their will without consent and without lawful justification. False imprisonment can occur in various situations, such as when someone is held in an area where they cannot leave or if they are physically restrained without the appropriate legal grounds.

In contrast, unlawful restraint is a broader term that might not encompass the specific legal definitions and implications tied to false imprisonment. Arrest without a warrant pertains specifically to law enforcement authority and the procedures involved in making an arrest without prior legal approval. Detention, while it may imply holding someone temporarily, does not capture the nuance of legal authority that is central to the concept of false imprisonment.