False arrest is defined as any instance where a police officer or other individual detains and arrests a citizen without meeting the standards of the law. To have a claim for false arrest, you must be able to show that you were in fact arrested and that there was no probable cause.In New York, a private person or a police officer commits the tort of false imprisonment or false arrest when they detain someone without legal authority. In that case, one individual holds another against their will or takes them into custody without consent or legal authority to do so. The second law involved in false arrests is the Fourth Amendment which states that there cannot be any seizure of property or an arrest without probable cause. Their team of former prosecutors understands how best to pursue civil lawsuits against the city for false arrest and malicious prosecution. A false arrest is when a civil lawsuit is brought about seeking damages from the responsible party. The U.S. arrestee or released prisoner will need to fill out an application and pay for an emergency passport at US Embassy Nassau the next business day. County of Nassau, 717 N.Y.S.2d 248 (A. The legal term for a wrongful arrest is "false arrest.