What is Salmond’s Pigeon Hole Theory?

Salmond’s "Pigeon Hole Theory" suggests that the Law of Torts is a collection of specific, closed categories.

He argued that for a person to be held liable, their wrong must fit into a pre-defined "pigeon hole." Under this rigid view, if an injury does not match a labeled category, the victim is left without a remedy.

Salmond believed there was no general "Law of Tort," only a "Law of Torts." In contrast, modern courts prefer an expansive approach, allowing the law to grow.

While Salmond’s theory offers legal certainty, it is often criticized for being too narrow to address new, evolving social harms.