False imprisonment occurs when one person unlawfully restricts another's freedom of movement. False arrest requires an arrest, but, false imprisonment only requires unlawful detention.The only distinction lies in the manner in which they arise. False arrest is merely one means of committing a false imprisonment. When a police officer lacks probable cause to make an arrest, a plaintiff can make a false imprisonment claim based on the detention pursuant to the arrest. Court concluded as a matter of law that officer had probable cause to arrest plaintiff). 3. False arrest is also referred to as false imprisonment and is generally considered a misdemeanor offense. The plaintiff in an action for false imprisonment is entitled to punitive damages on a proper showing of malice. From the legal perspective, wrongful arrest refers to the unlawful restraint of a person's freedom of movement. It is not necessary to be confined to prison to establish a claim for false imprisonment.