Final answer:
The statement is false; in a tort action, the plaintiff seeks compensation for damages rather than the punishment of the defendant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that in a tort action the plaintiff seeks to have the defendant punished by being fined or imprisoned is false. In a tort action, the purpose is not to punish the defendant but rather to compensate the plaintiff for damages suffered due to the defendant's actions. This is a key feature of civil law, where the objective is to return the injured party to the position they were in before the wrongful act occurred.
Therefore, the intended outcomes of a tort action are civil remedies, such as monetary compensation or injunctions, rather than criminal penalties like fines or imprisonment.