Opinion ID: 2007160
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Directed Verdict on Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress Claim.

Text: At the conclusion of the evidence, the defendants moved for a directed verdict on plaintiff's claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress. The elements of such a claim are set forth in Amsden v. Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Co., 203 N.W.2d 252, 255 (Iowa 1972), where we adopted the elements listed in Restatement (Second) of Torts § 46(1) (1965). These elements are: (1) Outrageous conduct by the defendant; (2) The defendant's intentional causing, or reckless disregard of the probability of causing emotional distress; (3) Plaintiff suffering severe or extreme emotional distress; and (4) Actual and proximate causation of the emotional distress by the defendant's outrageous conduct. Defendants' motion for directed verdict asserted that the evidence was insufficient to permit the jury to find the presence of any of the foregoing elements. The trial court sustained the motion on the basis of a failure of proof as to elements (1) and (3). Our disposition of this issue on appeal need only involve the first element, outrageous conduct by the defendant. Plaintiff urges on appeal that such conduct is to be found in threats made by defendants or their agents upon the termination of plaintiff's employment. It is claimed that on this occasion the defendants threatened to withhold plaintiff's pay, plane ticket, and passport, and report his unemployment status to the Saudi authorities so that he would be arrested and held for deportation by the Saudi police. The problem which we face in evaluating plaintiff's intentional infliction of emotional distress claim is that there is nothing in the record on appeal except the allegations of the petition to show that the alleged conduct by defendants or their agents in fact occurred. There is no evidence relating to such conduct in the partial transcript of testimony which has been transmitted as part of the record on appeal. In oral argument, plaintiff conceded that to the extent such evidence was presented, it has not been transcribed or made part of the record on appeal. Iowa Rule of Appellate Procedure 10(b) provides in part: If appellant intends to urge on appeal that a finding or conclusion is unsupported by the evidence or is contrary to the evidence he shall include in the record a transcript of all evidence relevant to such finding or conclusion. We believe that the foregoing rule requires the inclusion of all evidence relating to an issue when appellant seeks to urge that a trial court erred in directing a verdict on a particular issue. Plaintiff has not complied with this requirement. Such failure on his part precludes us from disturbing the ruling of the trial court sustaining the motion for directed verdict on the intentional infliction of emotional distress claim. See Central Construction Co. v. Klingensmith, 256 Iowa 364, 365, 127 N.W.2d 654, 656 (1964); Holden v. Voelker, 228 Iowa 589, 591, 293 N.W. 32, 33 (1940); In re Estate of Andrews, 221 Iowa 818, 821, 265 N.W. 187, 189 (1936). The portion of the judgment relating to the adjudication of that claim is affirmed.