Opinion ID: 440314
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Mrs. Freeman's Claim of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress

Text: 63 The Freemans assert that the district court erred in granting the Dr. Franklin Perkins School's motion for a directed verdict and judgment notwithstanding the verdict with regard to Mrs. Freeman's claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. In a tort action in diversity, Illinois also applies the most significant contacts test in determining which state's law applies. Ingersoll v. Klein, 46 Ill.2d 42, 262 N.E.2d 593, 596 (1970). 23 Under this approach, Massachusetts law governs this claim. 64 According to Massachusetts law the necessary elements of the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress are: (1) the actor must intend to inflict emotional distress; (2) the conduct must be extreme and outrageous; (3) it must cause the plaintiffs emotional stress; and (4) the emotional distress must be severe. Agis v. Howard Johnson Co., 371 Mass. 140, 355 N.E.2d 315, 318-19 (1976). Upon review of the record, it becomes apparent that the evidence is insufficient to prove the necessary elements of the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress. 65 First, there is insufficient evidence to establish that Dr. Spencer intended to cause emotional distress to Rhea Freeman. When Dr. Spencer called the Freeman home on June 28, 1980, he had no prior contact with Mrs. Freeman and had no reason to expect that he would be speaking to her. He did not know of her son's illness or of any of the other circumstances causing stress in Mrs. Freeman's life. Dr. Spencer testified that the purpose of his call on June 28, 1980 was to request that April not be returned to School in light of the fact that Illinois' tuition reimbursement program was not covering the costs of April's education. There was no evidence that the purpose of Dr. Spencer's call was to inflict emotional distress upon Mrs. Freeman. In fact, after Dr. Spencer was informed that Dr. Freeman handled such matters, all of Dr. Spencer's contacts were with Dr. Freeman. No one at the School had any further contact with Mrs. Freeman until June of 1981 when arrangements were made for April to return home. 24 66 Second, we hold that the conduct of the employees of the Dr. Franklin Perkins School toward Mrs. Freeman was neither extreme nor outrageous. Under Massachusetts law, conduct is not extreme and outrageous unless it is beyond all bounds of decency and utterly intolerable in a civilized community. Agis, 371 Mass. 140, 355 N.E.2d at 318-19. The School's conduct certainly does not rise to this level. Again, Dr. Spencer's only direct contact with Mrs. Freeman was in the telephone conversation of June 28, 1980. Any ill-advised comments made during the course of that conversation were not of the magnitude to be considered beyond all bounds of decency and utterly intolerable in a civilized community. Dr. Spencer's statement that if April was put on a plane to Boston, there would be no one there to meet her when she arrived in Boston was clarified during the course of their conversation. Although Mrs. Freeman found this comment upsetting, it cannot be described as extreme and outrageous conduct. Furthermore, Dr. Spencer's or the School's indirect contact with Mrs. Freeman via Dr. Freeman, in an effort to resolve the tuition problems, was not extreme and outrageous conduct. The evidence also does not support the Freemans' claims that in the spring of 1981 the School threatened to expel April and place her alone on a plane to Chicago. The Freemans were merely advised that April Freeman would be returned to Evanston on or about April 22, 1981 if Dr. Freeman did not pay the amount claimed by the School. Furthermore, except for discussions between Dr. Freeman and the School during April, 1981, whenever the possibility arose that April would be requested to withdraw, the School accommodated Dr. Freeman's request to reconsider its position. It did so because of its respect for the family situation in light of the Freemans' son's illness. 67 Although the School's handling of this matter in an attempt to collect its tuition could not always be characterized as gracious, much less as the use of good judgment, it certainly falls far short of an intentional tort to inflict emotional distress. In Massachusetts, intentional infliction of emotional distress is generally considered to be an attempt to intentionally shock and harm a plaintiff. It usually involves repeated harassment. See, e.g., Boyle v. Wenk, 378 Mass. 592, 392 N.E.2d 1053 (1979); George v. Jordan Marsh Co., 359 Mass. 244, 268 N.E.2d 915 (1971). From the evidence presented, it is clear that Dr. Spencer did not intend to cause Mrs. Freeman emotional distress and that his conduct toward her was neither extreme nor outrageous. Under the circumstances, the district court was correct in granting the School's motion for a directed verdict and judgment notwithstanding the verdict with respect to Mrs. Freeman's claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress.