Opinion ID: 874343
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: The district court erred in failing to address BTA's state tort claims, so we remand for further proceedings.

Text: BTA also asserted claims for intentional interference with contract and prospective economic advantage. In granting summary judgment, the district court failed to address these claims in its decision and we, therefore, decline to address those claims here. BTA argued below and on appeal that material questions of fact exist on the issues of whether Hogland acted with criminal intent, malice or reckless, willful and wanton conduct in miscalculating the permit expiration date. Specifically, BTA alleges that Hogland intentionally directed BTA to stop work on the Project, Hogland used an invalid excuse that BTA's building permit had expired as a pretext to coerce BTA into signing the stipulation agreement, and Hogland had no lawful authority to impose the conditions of the stipulation agreement on BTA. Since BTA's claim is based on the mistaken miscalculation of a building permit expiration date, the relevant statutory scheme precludes any claim without a showing that Hogland and the City of Boise acted with malice or criminal intent or with gross negligence or reckless, willful and wanton conduct. I.C. § 6-904B(3). The burden is particularly high for BTA, as I.C. § 6-903(e) provides a rebuttable presumption that any act of an employee within the time and place of his employment is without malice or criminal intent. The record does not appear to support BTA's claim, but this is a matter that must be addressed in the first instance by the district court, rather than by this Court. Moreover, the record is unclear whether BTA complied with the Idaho Tort Claims Act notice provisions, which must be resolved by the district court. For the reasons stated above, we vacate the judgment in favor of Hogland and the City of Boise on this issue and remand this matter, together with BTA's takings claims, to the district court for its determination.