Opinion ID: 2633505
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: current state claims

Text: {16} In her state complaint, Plaintiff alleged that Defendants deliberately and intentionally drove Plaintiff away from her employment at Danka by using improper means. In order to prove intentional interference with a contract, a plaintiff must establish that the defendant, without justification or privilege to do so, induces a third person not to perform a contract with another. Wolf v. Perry, 65 N.M. 457, 461, 339 P.2d 679, 681 (1959). In Ettenson, the Court of Appeals clarified the elements of intentional interference with a contract. 2001-NMCA-003, ¶ 14, 130 N.M. 67, 17 P.3d 440. To succeed, Plaintiff must prove: (1) Defendants had knowledge of the contract; (2) Plaintiff was unable to fulfill her contract obligations; (3) Defendants played an active and substantial part in causing Plaintiff to lose the benefits of the contract; (4) Plaintiff suffered damages resulting from the breach; and (5) Defendants induced the breach without justification or privilege to do so. See id. As will be discussed below, these elements differ considerably from each of the claims Plaintiff raised in federal court and do not require the same findings in order to succeed. Because Plaintiff's claim for civil conspiracy is not actionable by itself and survives only if the underlying claim for intentional interference with a contract survives, Ettenson, 2001-NMCA-003, ¶ 12, 130 N.M. 67, 17 P.3d 440, we will only discuss the intentional interference with a contract claim in this collateral estoppel portion of the opinion.