False imprisonment occurs when a person intentionally and illegally restrains another person's ability to move freely. In NC, false imprisonment is the unlawful restrain or detainment of an individual without their consent.A person commits false imprisonment when they engage in the act of restraint on another person which confines that person in a restricted area. Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree is a New York criminal offense imposing harsh penalties on anyone who restrains another person. False imprisonment only comes into it if you were detained unlawfully, which again you need more than the fact that you were found not guilty. Court concluded as a matter of law that officer had probable cause to arrest plaintiff). 3. They can only sue for wrongful imprisonment if they have been arrested and held beyond the scope of the courts. 3 Illegal or unlawful implies deliberateness in the defendant's actions.