What would be considered an unlawful act?

An unlawful act is essentially defined as any action that is prohibited by law. In this context, actions defined as criminal or tortious fall squarely under this definition. Criminal acts violate statutes or regulations enacted by governing bodies, while tortious actions typically involve civil wrongs that can result in harm or injury to another party, allowing that party to seek compensation. Thus, classifying actions that are explicitly defined as criminal or tortious as unlawful is accurate because such actions have legal ramifications and consequences.

In contrast to this, providing help to others is generally seen as a lawful and positive action, while any action that is permitted by law cannot be deemed unlawful. Similarly, acts that have no negative consequences do not inherently imply illegality; rather, they might fall into a category of benign behavior that is not addressed by legal statutes. Therefore, identifying actions defined as criminal or tortious as unlawful is both clear and fitting within legal definitions.