Opinion ID: 779790
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Interference with Contractual and Prospective Contractual Relations and Conspiracy

Text: 42 AFB alleged that in violation of state law RFA conspired with the CHP defendants and interfered with its contractual and prospective contractual relations with PRC. The district court held that RFA's purpose was to petition the local government not to allow longliners at the Maritime Center, that interference with AFB's prospective contract was only a by-product of RFA's campaign against longline fishing and that even if the interference was intentional, it was not for an improper purpose. 4 43 The elements of an intentional interference with prospective contractual relations are: (1) intentional interference with a plaintiff's potential contractual relations, (2) for an improper purpose or by improper methods, and (3) causing injury to the plaintiff. See Crandall Corp. v. Navistar Transp. Corp., 302 S.C. 265, 395 S.E.2d 179 (1990). If a defendant acts for more than one purpose his improper purpose must predominate in order to create liability. As an alternative to establishing an improper purpose the plaintiff may prove the defendant's method of interference was improper under the circumstances. Id. at 180. The improper purpose upon which AFB relies is its allegation that RFA conspired with co-defendant CHP to deprive AFB of a contract to operate the Center and to obtain for CHP the contract to operate. 44 A civil conspiracy is the combination of two or more parties joined for the purpose of injuring the plaintiff, thereby causing him special damages. See LaMotte v. Punch Line of Columbia, Inc., 296 S.C. 66, 370 S.E.2d 711, 713 (1988). To establish a concert of action a plaintiff must produce direct or circumstantial evidence from which a party may reasonably infer the joint assent of the minds of two or more parties to the prosecution of the unlawful exercise. A conspiracy is actionable only if overt acts pursuant to the common design proximately cause damage to the plaintiff. See First Union Nat. Bank of S.C. v. Soden, 333 S.C. 554, 511 S.E.2d 372, 383 (1998). Nevertheless, lawful acts may become actionable if the object is to ruin or damage the business of another. See LaMotte, 370 S.E.2d at 713. 45 As we have pointed out, CHP contacted RFA and requested assistance in opposing longliners' access to the Maritime Center. RFA responded, came to Charleston and began a successful lobbying effort. CHP assisted RFA in organizing and mobilizing citizens against longlining. When it appeared that the opposition to longlining was successful RFA sent a letter to the mayor thanking him for his support and recommending CHP as operator. 46 RFA is a lobbying group organized for and engaged in lobbying against commercial fishing methods that it opposes. A grassroots effort opposing the mooring of longline vessels at the Maritime Center was under way before RFA arrived in Charleston. The thrust of the campaign was against longline fishing and not at any other elements of AFB's proposed operations at the Center. In his conversation with Vince Pyle of AFB, President Donofrio of RFA proposed to call the dogs off if AFB would move longline vessels to a separate facility. He did not suggest that AFB give up its status as actual or proposed sub-lessee or make any concession other than removal of longline vessels. 47 The district court found that RFA's purpose was to exercise its First Amendment rights to petition the local government not to allow longliners at the Maritime Center and if it were found that RFA intentionally interfered with AFB's corporate opportunity, plaintiffs did not establish that it was for an improper purpose. We cannot say that either of these findings was error. Moreover, if the defendant acts for more than one purpose its improper purpose must predominate to create liability. Crandall Corp. v. Navistar Int'l. Transp. Corp., 302 S.C. 265, 395 S.E.2d 179.