Final answer:
The false statement about torts is that they are always based on criminal statutes; however, torts relate to civil law, and criminal law is separate from tort law.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the options given concerning torts, the false statement is: torts are always based on criminal statutes. This is incorrect because torts pertain to civil law rather than criminal law and do not involve prosecution by the government but rather involve civil disputes between private parties. While a breach of contract due to negligence can be a tort if it causes harm outside the terms of the contract itself, torts and breach of contract are distinct legal concepts, with the latter typically not being classified as a tort. Civil misdeeds that cause harm or loss to another party can be addressed through a civil lawsuit, which is a form of tort remedy. An example of the distinction between criminal and civil cases is the case of O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted in a criminal trial but later faced a civil lawsuit for wrongful death, which has a lower burden of proof.