# FILED July 2, 1997 Cecil Crowson, Jr. App ellate C ou rt Clerk I N THECOUR

TOFAPPEALS

PRI CE&

PRI CEM

ECH A N I CA L, I N C. , ) HAM

BLEN C HANC ER Y ) C. A . N O . 03A 01- 9612- C

H

- 00402 ) Pl a i ntif f

- A p p e lla nt ) ) ) ) ) ) vs . ) HON. BEN K. W EXLER ) C HANC ELLOR , BY I NTER

C HANGE ) ) ) ) ) J AM ESEDW AR D HALEa n dHALE) R EVER SED AND R

EM ANDED CONSTR UC TI ON C OM PANY, I NC. , ) ) D

e f e n d a nt s - A

p p e l l ees )

W. GAR Y BLAC KBUR N & M I C HELLEJ ONESLO

N G , Bl a c kbur n, Sl obe y, Fr eem a n & H a p p e ll, P . C. , N

a s h v ille , for a p p e lla nt . RO BERTA . C R A W FO R D , Ca r pe nt e r &

O ' C onne r , K

noxvi l l e , f or a ppe l l e e s .

O PI N I O N

Mc Mur r a y , J . Thi s cas e i s b e f o r e t h e co ur t o nanext r a or di na r y a ppe a l pur s ua nt t o R

ul e 10, Te nne s s e e R ul e s of A

ppe l l a t e Pr oc e dur e . The2

s o l e i s s u e w

hi c hw e ar e c a l l e d upon t o de c i de i s w h e t h e r Te nn e s s e e r e c ogni z e s t he t or t of " i nt e nt i ona l i nt e r f e r e nc e w i t h pr os pe c t i ve e c onom i c a dva nt a ge " ( The t or t ) . The t r i a l c our t di s m i s s e d t he p l a i ntif f ' s cl a i m o nt h e pr e m

i s e t h a t Te nne s s e e doe s not r e c ogni z e t h e to r t, c itin g K u l t ur a , I n c ., v. S out he r n Le a s i ng , 923 S . W . 2d 536, ( Te nn. 1996) , quot i ng f r om Q u a lityA

u t oPa r t s v . Bl u f f C ity Bu i c k , 876 S . W

. 2d 818, 823 ( Te nn. 1994) . Th e Supr e m

e C our t ha s ne i t he r e xpr e s s l yr e j ect e dt h e t o r t n o r e xpr e s s l yem

b r acedi t . I n Q

u a lityA

u t oPa r t s , th e c our t di d de f i ne t h e e l e m

e nt s th a t m

a ke upth e to r t a s f o llo w s :

M os t j ur i s di c t i ons a nd c om m e nt a t or s a gr e e t he t or t i s c om pos e d of t he f o llo w i n ge l e m

e nt s : ( 1 ) th e ex i s t e n c e of a bus i ne s s r e l a t i ons hi p or e xpe c t a nc y ( a n e xi s t i n g c o nt r act i s not r e qui r e d) ; ( 2) know l e dge by t he i nt e rfe r e r of t h e r e l a t i ons hi p or e xpe c t a nc y; ( 3) a n i nt e ntio n a l act o f i nt e r f e r e n c e ; ( 4) pr oof t ha t t he i nt e r f e r e n c e c a us e d t he ha r m s us t a i ne d; a nd ( 5) da m a ge t o t h e p l a i nt i f f . I d . , 5 A . L. R. 4 t ha t § 2 [ a ] , p . 1 6 ; s e e a l s o Cr a nda l l C

o r p . v . N

a v i s t a r I nt e r n . , 302 S . C. 265, 395 S . E. 2d 179 ( S . C. 1990) ; C om m odor e v. U

ni v e r s ity M ech a ni cal C

o nt r . , 120 W

a s h. 2d 120, 839 P. 2d 314 ( W a s h 1992) . Th e c our t de t e r m

i ne dth a t Q

u a lityA

u t oPa r t s ' c l a i m

m u s t f a i l b ecau s e th e c o m

p l a i nt di dn o t a lle g e tw oe s s e ntia l e l e m

e nt s o f th e t o r t — ( 1 ) t h e exi s t e n ce o f a s p eci f i c pr o s p ect i v e em p l o y m e nt r e l a t i ons hi p a nd ( 2) know l e dge by Q

ua l i t y of s uc h a r e l a t i ons hi p. The c our t t he n s t a t e d:

W e c onc l ude t ha t t he que s t i on of w he t he r Te nne s s e e r eco g ni zes th e to r t o f int e ntio n a l int e r f e r e n c e w ith pr os pe c t i ve e c onom i c a dva nt a ge s houl d be pos t pone d t o a not he r d a yw

h e nw e ar e s qu a r e l yp r e s e nt e dw i t ha case i n3

w hi c hal l o f t h e el e m e nt s o f t h e t o r t h a v e b eenal l e g e d o r o t he r w

i s e e s t a b l i s h e d . ... I d, page 823.

Th e c our t i n K

u l t ur a , I n c ., s up r a , n e i t h e r accept e dn o r r e j ect e dt he t or t , obs e r vi ng t ha t n o d a m a ge s ha d be e n s how n. Th e r eaf t e r , thi s c o ur t in N e w Li f e C

or p. v. Thom

a s N e l s on, I nc . , 932 S . W

. 2d 921 ( Te nn. A

pp. 1996, pe r m

i s s i on t o a ppe a l de ni e d J ul y 1, 1996) , r e ve r s e d a s um m a r y j udgm

e nt w hi c h ha d be e n e nt e r e d i n f a vor of t he de f e nda nt a nd r e m a nde d t he c a s e t o t he t r i a l c our t f or a tr i a l o nth e m

e r its . I n di s c us s i ng t he i s s ue t he c our t poi nt e d out :

... In K

a n C ons t . &

C l e a ni ng C

or p. v. Ta t um

, N o 01A 01- 9304- C

V

- 00150, 1993 W

L434741 ( Te nn. A

pp. W . S . , Oc t 27 1993, t he c our t s t a t e d:

Th e el e m

e nt s o f t h e t o r t o f i nt e r f e r e n ce w i t h bus i ne s s r e l a t i ons a r e a l s o s e t out i n 45 A m J ur . 2d I nt e rfe r e n c e 50 ( 1969) . Th e b a s i c el e m

e nt s w hi c hes t a b l i s ha pr i m a f aci e t or t i ous i nt e r f e r e nc e w i t h a bus i ne s s r e l a - t i o ns hi par e t h e exi s t e n ce o f a v a l i db u s i n e s s r e l a t i on ( not ne c e s s a r i l y e vi de nc e d by a n e nf or c e - a b l e c ont r a c t ) or e xpe c t a nc y; know l e dge of t he r e l a tio n s hi por e xpe c t a nc y on t he pa r t of t he i nt e rfe r e r ; a n i nt e nt i ona l i nt e r f e r e nc e i nduc i ng or cau s i n ga b r eacho r t e r m i n a t i o nof t he r e l a t i ons hi p or exp ect a n c y ; an dr e s u l t a nt d a m a g e t ot h e p a r t y w hos e r e l a t i ons hi p or e xpe c t a nc y ha s be e n di s - r upt e d.

We ar e u n a b l e t om a ke a m e a ni ngf ul di s t i nc t i on be t w e e n Q u a lity Au t oPa r t s a nd Ne w Li f e C o r p . , in s o f a r a s th e e l e m e nt s o f th e to r t a r e co n cer n e d .4

I t is w

e ll- s e ttle dla w

th a t t he Supr e m

e C our t i s not bound by a de c i s i on of ani nt e r m e di a t e app e l l a t e c our t e ve n w he n c e r t i or a r i or pe r m

i s s i on t o a ppe a l i s de ni e d. A s e xpl a i ne d by C

hi e f J us t i c e G r a f t on G

r e e n, i n Br ya n v. A e t na Li f e I ns . C

o . , 174 Te nn. 602, 130 S . W . 2 d85 ( 1 939) : " W e ha ve r e pe a t e dl y poi nt e d out t ha t a m e r e de ni a l by t hi s c our t of a w r i t of c e r t i or a r i t o t he C our t of A ppe a l s doe s n ot c om m i t us t o a l l t he vi e w s e xpr e s s e d i n a p a r tic u l a r opi ni on. W e a r e pr i m

a r i l yc onc e r ne d on s uc h a ppl i c a t i on w itht h e r e s u l t r each e d . " 174 Te nn. a t 611, 130 S . W . 2d a t 88. W e i ghi ngonl y t he r e s ul t i n Ne w Li f e C o r p . in th e lig ht o f Q u a lity Au t oPa r t s , a c om pe l l i ngl y pe r s ua s i ve a r gum e nt i s ma d e th a t th e Supr e m e C o ur t h a s im

p lic itlyr eco gni z e d t he t or t . W e a r e of t he opi ni ont ha t t he t or t i s now r e c ogni z e dinthi s jur i s di c tio na n ds o hol d. U ponc ons i de r a t i on of t he e nt i r e c om pl a i nt , w

e a r e of t he opi ni onth a t s u f f i c i e nt fa c t s h a v e b eenal l e g e dw hi c h , i f t r u e , s a t i s f y t he r e qui r e m e nt s of bot h Q

u a lityA

u t oPa r t s a nd Ne w Li f e , s upr a . W

e ackn o w

l e d g e t h a t d a m

a g e s h a v e b eenp l eadw i t hl i t t l e s p e c i f i c ity . W

e b e l i e v e , h o w

e v e r , t h a t und e r t h e r e l a x e dr e - qui r e m e nt s f or pl e a di ng unde r t he Te nne s s ee R ul e s of C

i vi l Pr oc e dur e , t ha t t he de f e nda nt s ha ve be e n pl a c e d on s uf f i c i e nt n o t i ce t om

a ke t h e m

aw a r e o f t h e cl a i m

s ag a i n s t t h e m

. Fur t h e r :

We a l s o be l i e ve t ha t . . . t he r e i s no l onge r a ny ne e d f o r p a r t i c u l a r i zedd a m a g e p l eadi n g . A

s w e not e din H a ndl e yv. M

a y , [ 588 S . W

. 2d 772, 774,

- 76 Te nn. A pp. 1979] t h e pur pos e of pl e a di ng und e r t h e Te nn e s s ee R u l e s o f C i v i l Pr oc e dur e i s t o not i f y t he de f e nda nt of t he cl a i m s a g a i n s t hi m

. Th e r e ar e anynum be r of de vi c e s , i nc l udi ng a m ot i on f or m

or e de f i ni t e s t a t e m e nt a nd t he va r i ous di s c ove r ypr oc e dur e s , t h a t en a b l e p a r t i e s toc l a r i f yth e1 We ar e not conc e r n e d w i t h t h e des i gna t i on or t i t l e at t a c h e d t o t h e ca u s e of a c t i on. W

e ar e m

o r e co n cer n e d t h a t al l t h e nec e s s a r y el e m e n t s ar e al l e g e d . " Re v i e w

i n g co u r t s m

u s t al w

a y s l o o k t o t h e sub s t a n ce o f t h e ch a l l e n g e d co m p l a i n t r a t h e r th a n it s f o r m . " U s r e y v . Le w

i s , 553 S . W

. 2d 612, 614 ( Te nn. A pp. 1977) ; K a y l o r v . Br a d l e y , 912 S . W . 2d 728 ( Te nn. A pp. 1995) . 5 c l a i m s ag a i n s t th e m

. N o t hi n gr e qu i r e s a p l a i ntif f to p l eadal l d a m

a g e s w i t hm o r e ex act n e s s a n ds p e c i f i c ity t h a nt ha t r e qui r e d by t he Te n n e s s ee R u l e s o f C

i v i l Pr oc e dur e . [ Th e p l a i ntif f ' s ] c o m p l a i nt m

e e t s th e s t a n da r ds of Te nn. R. C i v. P. 8. I t ga ve t he de f e nda nt s s u ffi c i e nt not i c e of t he t ype of da m a g e s c l a i m

e dt ob e s u ffe r e d . Th e r e f o r e , w e f i n dt h a t t h e co m pl a i nt w

a s pr ope r . Eva ns v . N

a s h v ille Ba nn e r Publ i s hi ng C o . , 1988 Te nn. A

pp. LEX

I S 638.

H a vi ngnow

r e a c he d t he c onc l us i ons t ha t t he t or t ha s be e n a dopt e di n Te nne s s e e a nd t ha t t he pl a i ntif f ' s c o m p l a i nt s t a t e s a cau s e of a c t i on f or t or t i ous i nt e r f e r e nc e w i t h a bus i ne s s r e l a tio n s hi p, we m

us t e xa m

i ne t he pr opr i e t y of th e tr i a l c o ur t ' s a c tio nin gr a nt i ng de f e nda nt s ' m ot i on f or j udgm

e nt on t hi s i s s ue . 1

We f i r s t n o t e th a t th e c om pl a i nt c ont a i ns t w o c ount s . O

ne is f or de f a m

a t i on a nd t he s e c ond i s f or t or t i ous i nt e r f e r e nc e w i t h a bus i ne s s r e l a t i ons hi p. The de f e nda nt f i l e d a m ot i on f or s um

m a r y j udgm e nt on bot h c ount s . The m ot i on f or s um

m a r y j udgm

e nt r e l a t i ng t od e f a m

a t i o nw

a s pr e m

i s e d upon t he p l a i ntif f ' s in a b ilitytop r o v e d a m a g e s cau s e db yt h e al l e g e dd e f a m a t o r ys t a t e m

e nt s . Th e m

o t i o n , a s t o t ha t c ount w a s ove r r ul e d. A s t o t he c ount f or t or t i ous i nt e r f e r e nc e w

i t h a bus i ne s s r e l a t i ons hi p, t he de f e nda nt s ' m ot i on s i m p l ys t a t e d"a cause o f act i o nf o r i nt e r f e r e n ce w i t ha pr o s p ect i ve e c onom

i c a dva nt a ge i s not a r e c ogni z e d c a us e of a c t i on unde r t h e l a w

s o f t hi s s t a t e . " N ocl a i m

i s m a de ( a s t oei t h e r co u nt )6

t h a t "t h e r e i s n og e nu i n e i ssu e a s t oanym a t eri a l f a c t . " Se e Ru l e 56. 03, Te nn e s s ee R u l e s o f C

i v i l Pr o cedur e . W e f eel t h a t i t is i n f o r m a tiv e tos e t o u t th e m a t e r i a l p a r t s o f th e m o tio nfo r s u mma r y j u d g m e nt. Th e m

o tio n , in p e r tin e nt p a r t, is a s f o llo w s :

... [ A ] s gr ounds f or t hi s m ot i on , t he de f e nda nt s w oul d s how

unt o t he c our t a s f ol l ow s : ( 1 ) Anyda m

a ge i nc ur r e d byth e p l a i ntif f w a s n o t cau s e d byt h e al l e g e dd e f a m a t o r ys t a t e m

e nt s o f J a m

e s Edw a r dH a l e ; ( 2 ) A cau s e o f act i o nf o r i nt e r f e r e n ce w i t ha pr o s p ectiv e eco n o m

i c adv a nt a g e i s n o t a r eco g ni z e dcau s e of a c t i on unde r t he l a w s of t hi s s t a t e ; a nd ( 3 ) Th e pl a i nt i f f ha s not s uf f e r e d, a n d c a nnot pr ove , t h a t he i nc ur r e dd a m a g e s as a r e s u l t o f t h e al l e g e d d e f a m a t o r ys t a t e m

e nt s o f J a m

e s Edw a r dH a l e .

D ur i ngor a l a r gum

e nt be f or e t hi s c our t , t h e app e l l ees d e v o t e d m uc h of t he i r a r gum e nt a nd s t r ongl y di r e c t e d our a t t e nt i on t o t he l ackof a s how

i ng of da m

a ge s by t he pl a i nt i f f i n r e s pons e t o t he de f e nda nt s ' m

ot i on f or s um

m a r y j udgm

e nt . W e not e how

e ve r , t ha t t he t r i a l c our t i n gr a nt i ng t he m ot i on, di d s o pur e l y a s a m a t t e r of l a w , r e l yi ng upon K u l t ur a , I n c . , s upr a a nd Q u a lityA

u t oPa r t s , s upr a . Sp eci f i cal l y , th e c o ur t, in i t s m e m or a ndum

opi ni on s t a t e d:

Th e c our t i s of t he opi ni on, a s t o t he i s s ue of i nt e ntio n a l i nt e r f e r e n ce w i t hp r o s p ect i v e eco n o m i c a dv a nt a g e t h a t t hi s i s n o t a r eco g ni zedcau s e o f act i o n i nTe nn e s s e e . [C itin g K

u ltur a , s upr a . ] Si nc e t he ba s i s of t he de f e nda nt s ' m ot i on f or s um

m a r y j udgm e nt , a s s e t out a bove , w a s pur e l y a que s t i on of l a w not di r ect e dt o w

a r d"undi s p u t e dm a t e r i a l f act s " , t h e p l a i nt i f f h a dn o7

not i c e th a t h e w

oul d be c a l l e d upon t o de m ons t r a t e da m

a ge s a s t o t h e s e c ond c ount . Fur t h e r , w ith no s uc h gr ound s t a t e d i n t he m ot i on, he w

a s unde r no obl i ga t i on t odo s o. W e a r e not a t lib e r t y t o pr e s um

e or a s s um

e t ha t t he e vi de nc e f ound i n t he r e c or d be f or e us is a ll o f th e e v i de n c e th a t th e p l a i ntif f i s a bl e t o pr oduc e on t hi s is s u e .

Th e s t a nda r ds gove r ni ng a n a ppe l l a t e c our t ' s r e vi e w of a t r i a l c our t ' s a c t i on on a m ot i on f or s um

m a r y j udgm e nt a r e w

e ll s e ttle d . S i n c e o ur in qu i r y i nvol ve s pur e l y a que s t i on of l a w , no pr e s um

pt i on of c or r e c t ne s s a t t a c he s t o t he t r i a l c our t ' s j udgm e nt , a nd our t a s k i s c onf i ne dt o r e vi e w i ng t he r e c or d t o de t e r m i ne w he t he r t he r e qu i r e m

e nt s of Te nn. R. C i v. P. 56 ha ve be e n m e t . C ow de n v. S ovr a n Ba nk/ C

e nt r a l S out h , 816 S . W . 2d 741, 744( Te nn. 1991) . Te nn. R. C i v. P. 56. 03 pr ovi de s t ha t s um m a r y j udgm e nt i s onl y a ppr opr i a t e w he r e : ( 1) t he r e i s no ge nui ne is s u e w

ithr e g a r dt ot h e m a t e r i a l f act s r e l e v a nt t ot he c l a i m

or de f e ns e c ont a i ne d i n t he m ot i on, Byr d v. Ha l l , 847 S . W

. 2d 208, 210 ( Te nn. 19 93) ; a nd ( 2) t he m ovi ng pa r t y i s e nt i t l e d t o a j udgm e nt a s m

a t t e r of l a w ont he undi s put e d f a c t s . A nde r s on v. St a nda r d R e gi s t e r Co . , 857 S . W

. 2d 555, 559 ( Te nn. 1993) . The m ovi ng pa r t y ha s t he bur de nof pr ovi ng t ha t i t s m ot i on s a t i s f i e s th e s e r e qu i r e m

e nt s . D

o w n e nv . A

l l s t a t e I n s . C

o . , 811 S . W

. 2 d 523, 524 ( Te nn. 1991) . Ca r v e ll v . Bo tto m s , 900 S . W

. 2d 23 ( Te nn. 1995) . We a r e of t he opi ni on t ha t t he de f e nda nt s , t he m ovi ng pa r t i e s , ha ve fa i l e d t o m

e e t t he bur de n of pr ovi ng t ha t t he i r m ot i onfo r s u mma r yju d g m

e nt s a tis f i e s t h e r e qu i r e m e nt s s e t out a bove a nd t ha t t h e ya r e e nt i t l e dtojud g m e nt a s a m

a t t e r o f la w

. A c c o r di ng l y , w

e f i n dt ha t t he m

ot i on f or s um

m a r y j udgm

e nt s houl d not ha ve be e n gr a nt e d.8

We do not e xpr e s s a ny opi ni on onth e m e r i t s of a ny i s s ue , ot he r t ha n t o hol d t ha t t he de f e nda nt s , ba s e d upon t he r e c or d be f or e u s , a r e n o t e ntitle dtoju d gm e nt a s a m

a t t e r o f l a w

. Th e j udgm e nt of t he t r i a l c our t gr a nt i ng t he m ot i on f or s um

m a r y j udgm e nt i s r e ve r s e d.

Co s t s ar e as s e s s e dt ot h e app e l l ees an dt hi s cas e i s r e m a n d e d t ot he t r i a l c our t f or s uc h ot he r a nd f ur t he r a c t i on a s m a y be r e qui r e d, c ons i s t e nt w i t h t he opi ni on of t hi s c our t .

______________________________ D on T. M

c M ur r a y, J . CONC UR:

___________________________________ C ha r l e s D

. Sus a no, J r . , J udge

___________________________________ G a r yR. W

a de , Sp eci a l J u d g eI N THECOUR TOFAPPEALS

PRI CE&

PRI CEM

ECH A N I CA L, I N C. , ) HAM

BLEN C HANC ER Y ) C. A . N O . 03A 01- 9612- C

H

- 00402 ) Pl a i ntif f

- A p p e lla nt ) ) ) ) ) ) vs . ) HON. BEN K. W EXLER ) C HANC ELLOR , BY I NTER

C HANGE ) ) ) ) ) J AM ESEDW AR D HALEa n dHALE) R EVER SED AND R

EM ANDED CONSTR UC TI ON C OM PANY, I NC. , ) ) D

e f e n d a nt s - A

p p e l l ees )

J UDG M E NT Thi s app eal c a m

e o nt o be he a r d upon t he r e c or d f r om t he C ha nc e r y C

our t of H

a m bl e n C ount y, br i e f s a nd a r gum e nt of c ouns e l . U ponc ons i de r a t i on t he r e of , t hi s C our t i s of opi ni on t ha t t he r e w a s r e v e r s i b l e e r r o r inth e tr i a l c o ur t . Th e j udgm

e nt of t he t r i a l c our t i s r e ve r s e d. C os t s a r e a sse sse dt ot h e app e l l ees an dt hi s c a s e i s r e m a n d e dt ot h e t r i a l c our t f or s uc h ot he r a nd f ur t he r a c t i on a s m a y be r e qui r e d, c ons i s t e nt w

i t h t he opi ni on of t hi s c our t . PER CU RI A M