Opinion ID: 1086806
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Tortious-Interference Claim

Text: For the second point on appeal, Skalla argues that the circuit court erred in granting summary judgment on Skalla’s claim for tortious interference of a business expectancy. Skalla asserts that Canepari tortiously interfered with (1) her leases with the Hoods and the Bramuccis; (2) her long-term improvement plan established with Baird; and (3) her uncles’ selling their interests in the two farms to her. She further asserts that Canepari tortiously interfered by writing a letter that challenged her right to seizen. To prove tortious interference under Arkansas law, a plaintiff must prove the following 11 Cite as 2013 Ark. 415 elements: (1) the existence of a valid contractual relationship or a business expectancy; (2) knowledge of the relationship or expectancy on the part of the interfering party; (3) intentional interference inducing or causing a breach or termination of the relationship or expectancy; and (4) resultant damage to the party whose relationship or expectancy has been disrupted. Crockett v. C.A.G. Invs., Inc., 2010 Ark. 90, 361 S.W.3d 262. Our law requires that the conduct of the defendants be at least “improper.” K.C. Props. of Nw. Ark., Inc. v. Lowell Inv. Partners, LLC, 373 Ark. 14, 26, 280 S.W.3d 1, 11 (2008). In the present case, Skalla failed to prove tortious interference on her four claims because, as a matter of law, Skalla did not meet proof with proof that Canepari interfered with or acted improperly toward Skalla’s alleged business expectancies. First, Skalla’s claim of Canepari’s interference with her lease agreements fails because the Hoods and the Bramuccis never terminated their leases and continued to farm the property throughout the litigation. Second, Skalla’s claim for tortious interference with the improvement plan fails because, as a matter of law, a tenant in common has the right to make improvements on the land without the consent of his cotenants. Graham, supra. Some precise business expectancy or contractual relationship must be obstructed in order to commit the tort of interference with a business expectancy. Stewart Title Guar. Co. v. Am. Abstract & Title Co., 363 Ark. 530, 215 S.W.3d 596 (2005). Here, Skalla’s proposed plan did not qualify as a sufficiently concrete business expectancy to survive summary judgment, as she never applied for the $250,000 financing loan to support the improvement plan that she devised with Baird. Further, Skalla simply chose not to pursue the improvements on her own, and she admitted that she did not tell 12 Cite as 2013 Ark. 415 Canepari about her proposed long-term plan until her counsel sent Canepari’s counsel a letter in June 2006. Third, Skalla’s claims that Canepari interfered with her business expectancy as a cotenant in purchasing Albert’s and Charles’s two one-third interests fails because both uncles did make an offer to sell to her first. With regard to Albert’s interest, Skalla’s claim is not supported because an oral right of first refusal on an interest in land does not comport with the statute of frauds. Lee Wilson & Co. v. Springfield, 230 Ark. 257, 321 S.W.2d 775 (1959). Thus, as a matter of law, Skalla cannot claim that Canepari tortiously interfered with Albert’s interest. Further, with regard to Charles’s interest, Charles complied with the agreement by giving Skalla thirty days to accept his offer to purchase his interest, and she refused. Lastly, Canepari is entitled to summary judgment on Skalla’s seizen argument because she has not met proof with proof that Canepari caused a termination of her right to possession of the farms throughout the litigation. The undisputed evidence shows that Skalla leased her interest, collected her rents, and was never denied access to the two farms during her cotenancy. For these reasons, we hold that the circuit court properly granted summary judgment on Skalla’s tortious-interference claims.