Burns, J. v. Cooper, B. ( 2020 )

J-S33031-20
2020 Pa. Super. 190
JAMIYLAH BURNS : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
:
BLAKELEY COOPER :
:
Appellant : No. 2571 EDA 2019
Appeal from the Judgment Entered November 1, 2019
In the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County Civil Division at
No(s): 2016-11905
BEFORE: DUBOW, J., MURRAY, J., and STEVENS, P.J.E.*
OPINION BY STEVENS, P.J.E.: FILED AUGUST 11, 2020
Appellant, Blakeley Cooper, appeals from the November 1, 2019,
judgment entered upon a jury verdict in favor of Appellee, Jamiylah Burns, in
this case for defamation and tortious interference with contract. 1 After a
careful review, we affirm.
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* Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.
1 We note Appellant purported to appeal from the August 5, 2019, order
denying his post-trial motion; however, he subsequently filed a praecipe for
the entry of judgment. The docket reflects the prothontary entered judgment
in favor of Appellee on November 1, 2019. Although an appeal from an order
denying post-trial motions is interlocutory, where judgment is subsequently
entered, the appeal is “treated as filed after such entry and on the date
thereof.” Pa.R.A.P. 905(a)(5). See K.H. v. J.R., 573 Pa. 481, 826 A.2d 863
(2003). As such, we deem the appeal in the case sub judice to be properly
taken from the subsequently entered judgment.
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The relevant facts and procedural history are as follows: On August 15,
2014, Appellant filed a divorce complaint against Appellee. On December 5,
2015, while the divorce matter was pending, Appellee decided to visit her
father, who lived in Washington D.C. Concerned about the safety of her
jewelry and other valuables, including a Louis Vuitton baby bag, Appellee
removed the items from her home and put them in her car.2
While her car was parked outside of her father’s house, someone
smashed the car window and stole the jewelry, Louis Vuitton baby bag, and
other personal items. Appellee immediately contacted the police, who
prepared a report in connection with the incident.
Appellee submitted an insurance claim to Erie Insurance Company
(“Erie”) in connection with the loss. The initial processing of the claim was
assigned to Kathy Riser, a representative of Erie, and the claim appeared to
proceed in a routine manner. However, because the insurance policy was in
the names of both Appellant and Appellee, Erie required Appellant to join in
the claim, and, thus, Ms. Riser contacted Appellant via telephone on January
18, 2016, at 9:54 a.m. Ms. Riser’s notes of the call read as follows:
Spoke to [Appellant].
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2 Appellee testified that, during this time, the divorce was not amicable, but
she and Appellant were living in the same house. N.T., 6/18/19, at 37-38.
She testified she began putting valuable items in her car out of concern that
Appellant might remove them from the marital home. Id. at 39.
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[Appellant] stated he does not believe this incident
occurred, therefore he will not be signing the claim
forms[.]
He stated that she does not have a Luis Vutton [sic]
bag, but it is a baby bag[.]
He finds it hard to believe that she left such high value
items in the car.
Trial Court Opinion, filed 1/17/20, at 2 (citations to record omitted).
Shortly after this call, at 10:00 a.m., Ms. Riser referred Appellee’s claim
to Erie’s Investigative Services Section (“ISS”), which has the responsibility
of investigating whether an insurance claim involves fraud. Thereafter, Mark
Carlin, who was an Erie ISS investigator, contacted Appellee and requested
that she meet with him in his office in Media, Pennsylvania, to review the facts
surrounding her insurance claim. Appellee agreed and met with Mr. Carlin.
During the meeting, Appellee discovered Mr. Carlin was a fraud
investigator. Appellee, who held a physical therapist license, became
concerned that she was being investigated for fraud.
On June 13, 2016, Appellee filed a civil complaint, which she later
amended on August 1, 2016. In her amended complaint, as to Appellant,
Appellee presented claims of defamation and tortious interference with
contract.3
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3 Appellee also included Erie Indemnity Company, d/b/a/ Erie Insurance
Company, as a defendant, and she presented claims of breach of contract and
bad faith. However, thereafter, Erie made payment on Appellee’s insurance
claim, and all claims between Appellee and Erie have been either dismissed or
settled.
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With regard to her defamation claim, Appellee specifically alleged
Appellant made false statements to Erie representatives indicating Appellee
filed a fraudulent insurance claim. Appellee averred her reputation was
damaged by Appellant’s false statements, which suggested Appellee had
committed the crime of insurance fraud.
With regard to her tortious interference with contract claim, Appellee
averred Appellant’s intentional false defamatory statements, which he made
to Erie representatives, interfered with her insurance contract with Erie.
On August 18, 2016, Appellant filed an answer with new matter and a
counterclaim in which he presented against Appellee a claim of abuse of
process, and Appellee filed an answer thereto.4
On July 16, 2018, Appellant filed a motion for summary judgment, as
well as a brief in support thereof, and on August 15, 2018, Appellee filed an
answer in opposition to the motion for summary judgment.5 Additionally,
Appellee filed a motion for summary judgment as to Appellant’s counterclaim.
By order entered on October 30, 2018, the trial court denied Appellant’s
motion for summary judgment; however, the trial court granted Appellee’s
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4 Appellant amended his new matter and counterclaim several times in
response to Appellee filing preliminary objections.
5 As will be discussed in detail infra, in support of her opposition to Appellant’s
motion for summary judgment, Appellee pointed to Appellant’s deposition
testimony wherein Appellant admitted he told an Erie representative that
Appellee “was a liar who could not be trusted.” See Appellee’s Motion in
Opposition to Summary Judgment, filed 8/15/18, at Exhibit C.
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motion for summary judgment and dismissed Appellant’s counterclaim for
abuse of process. Thereafter, the matter proceeded to a jury trial as to
Appellee’s claims of defamation and tortious interference with contract against
Appellant.
At the conclusion of the jury trial, on June 20, 2019, the jury answered
“Yes” to the question of whether Appellant was liable to Appellee for
defamation, as well as to the question of whether Appellant was liable to
Appellee for tortious interference with contract. The jury then awarded
Appellee $55,000.00 in compensatory damages. Additionally, the jury
answered “Yes” to the question of whether Appellant’s conduct was so
outrageous as to entitle Appellee to punitive damages. The jury then awarded
Appellee $20,000.00 in punitive damages.
On July 3, 2019, Appellant filed a post-trial motion,6 and by order
entered on August 5, 2019, the trial court denied Appellant’s post-trial motion.
This appeal followed on August 28, 2019. On September 4, 2019, the trial
court directed Appellant to file a Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) statement, and Appellant
complied on September 24, 2019. On November 1, 2019, upon praecipe of
Appellant, the prothontary entered judgment in favor of Appellee and against
____________________________________________
6 We note the trial court expressly granted Appellant permission to file a post-
trial motion no later than July 3, 2019. See Lenhart v. Cigna Companies,
824 A.2d 1193, 1198 (Pa.Super. 2003) (“[T]he decision to allow the filing of
post-trial motions nunc pro tunc is vested in the sound discretion of the trial
court.”) (citation omitted)).
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Appellant in the amount of $75,000.00. On January 17, 2020, the trial court
filed a Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) opinion.
On appeal, Appellant sets forth the following sole issue in his “Statement
of Questions Involved” (verbatim):
In an action alleging defamation, trial is authorized if the
trial court determines, before trial, as a matter of law, that the
statement at issue is capable of a defamatory meaning. Is it
permissible for the trial court to do the opposite: not make such
determination; have the case go to trial (without such
determination); and then have such determination made by the
jury, after trial?
Appellant’s Brief at 4 (suggested answer omitted).
Appellant contends the trial court was required to determine before trial,
and as a matter of law, whether any statements made by Appellant were
capable of a defamatory meaning. See Appellant’s Brief at 21, 27, 29. He
avers the trial court “shirked” its duty by failing to render a ruling prior to trial
in this regard and permitting the jury, in the first instance, to determine
whether the statements were capable of a defamatory meaning. Id. at 30-
31. Additionally, Appellant suggests that, to the extent the trial court
attempted to “cure” its error by asserting in its Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) opinion that
Appellant’s statements were capable of a defamatory meaning, the court’s
attempt was improper since such a determination must be made by the trial
court before the commencement of trial. Id. at 35. After a careful review,
we conclude Appellant has mischaracterized the record and the trial court’s
rulings in the case sub judice.
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Initially, for background purposes, we note the following relevant legal
principles:
The requirements of a defamation claim are codified as follows:
(a) Burden of plaintiff.—In an action for defamation, the
plaintiff has the burden of proving, when the issue is properly
raised:
(1) The defamatory character of the communication.
(2) Its publication by the defendant.
(3) Its application to the plaintiff.
(4) The understanding by the recipient of its defamatory meaning.
(5) The understanding by the recipient of it as intended to be
applied to the plaintiff.
(6) Special harm resulting to the plaintiff from its publication.
(7) Abuse of a conditionally privileged occasion.
(b) Burden of defendant.—In an action for defamation, the
defendant has the burden of proving, when the issue is properly
raised:
(1) The truth of the defamatory communication.
(2) The privileged character of the occasion on which it was
published.
(3) The character of the subject matter of defamatory comment
as of public concern.
42 Pa.C.S.A. § 8343 (bold in original).
Further, as it relates specifically to the defamatory character of the
communication, as Appellant correctly contends, this Court has relevantly held
the following:
Whether the challenged statements are capable of having a
defamatory meaning is a question of law for the court to
determine in the first instance. “A statement is defamatory if it
tends to harm an individual’s reputation so as to lower h[er] in the
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estimation of the community or deter third persons from
associating or dealing with h[er].”
Pennsylvania courts have held that certain types of
communications, although undoubtedly offensive to the subject,
do not rise to the level of defamation. For example, expressions
of opinion are not actionable. Likewise, statements which are
merely annoying or embarrassing or “‘no more than rhetorical
hyperbole’” or “‘a vigorous epithet’” are not defamatory.
Kryeski v. Schott Glass Technologies, Inc., 626 A.2d 595, 600-01
(Pa.Super. 1993) (internal citations and quotations omitted). See Baker v.
Lafayette College, 516 Pa. 291, 532 A.2d 399, 402 (1987) (“In order for a
statement to be considered libelous or slanderous, the trial court must, in the
first instance, make a determination as to whether the communication
complained of can be construed to have the defamatory meaning ascribed to
it by the complaining party.”) (citation omitted)); Kuwait & Gulf Link
Transport Company v. Doe, 216 A.3d 1074 (Pa.Super. 2019) (holding that
in ruling upon a summary judgment motion the issue of whether a statement
is capable of a defamatory meaning is an issue for the trial court to decide as
a matter of law).
In the case sub judice, in his motion for summary judgment, Appellant
averred that Appellee failed to set forth a prima facie case as to defamation
and, further, that there was no genuine issue of material fact such that
Appellant was entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. Moreover,
in his brief attached to his summary judgment motion, Appellant specifically
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argued Appellee failed to set forth a prima facie case that any statements
made by Appellant were capable of a defamatory meaning.
By order entered on October 30, 2018, the trial court held that “[t]he
Motion for Summary Judgment of [Appellant] is DENIED.” Trial Court Order,
filed 10/30/18, at 2 (bold omitted). Additionally, the trial court specifically
noted the following:
Counts I and II of [Appellee’s] Amended Complaint are
brought against [Appellant] for defamation and tortious
interference with contract, on the basis that [Appellant] made
statements to an Erie representative casting doubt on the validity
of her insurance claim. Those statements include that [Appellee]
“was a liar who could not be trusted.” ([Appellant’s] Dep., at 65[;]
[Appellee’s] Response to [Appellant’s] Mot. for Summary Jt., Ex.
C). [Appellant] argues that the statement was not defamatory,
that it was protected by privilege, and that [Appellee] fails to show
damages. To the contrary, the statement that someone is a liar
is, “‘as a matter of law, capable of defamatory meaning.” Smith
v. Wagner, 588 A.2d 1308, 1311 (Pa.Super. 1991)….[Appellant]
fails to identify any recognized privilege that would apply to this
case.
Trial Court Order, filed 10/30/18, at 2 n.3.
Based on the aforementioned, as is evident, contrary to Appellant’s
assertion, the trial court considered in the first instance whether the
challenged statement was capable of having a defamatory meaning as a
question of law when it ruled on Appellant’s summary judgment motion. See
id. The trial court answered the issue affirmatively prior to trial, and
therefore, contrary to Appellant’s assertion, there is no evidence the trial court
“shirked” its duty in this regard. The trial properly confirmed as much in its
Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) opinion. See Trial Court Opinion, filed 1/17/20, at 5 n.6
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(“[T]he Court did determine that [Appellant’s] statements were capable of a
defamatory meaning before submitting the jury the question [of] whether the
statements were defamatory.”) (citations to record omitted)). Consequently,
there is no merit to Appellant’s claim.7
This does not end our inquiry, however, as Appellant additionally
contends that, assuming, arguendo, the trial court properly ruled the
statement at issue was capable of a defamatory meaning, the evidence offered
at trial was insufficient to sustain the jury’s verdict since Appellee failed to
prove “the statement’s recipient—the insurer--understood the statement to
have a defamatory meaning.”8 Appellant’s Brief at 35 (bold omitted).
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7 As indicated supra, in denying Appellant’s motion for summary judgment,
the trial court determined Appellant’s statement that Appellee “was a liar who
could not be trusted” was capable of a defamatory meaning as a matter of
law. To the extent Appellant suggests on appeal the trial court erred in this
regard, we disagree. It is well-settled that statements that a person is a liar
are capable of a defamatory meaning as a matter of law. See Smith, supra.
Further, statements implicating a person committed a crime, as could be
inferred from Appellant’s statement in the context at issue, are capable of a
defamatory meaning as a matter of law. See Brown v. Philadelphia
Tribune Co., 668 A.2d 159 (Pa.Super. 1995). Accordingly, the trial court
properly denied Appellant’s summary judgment motion on this basis. See
Nicolaou v. Martin, 649 Pa. 227, 195 A.3d 880, 891 (2018) (“Summary
judgment is appropriate [only in] cases where there are no genuine issues of
material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of
law.”) (citation omitted)).
8 Appellant sufficiently presented this claim in his post-trial motion and
Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) statement. We note with displeasure, however, that
Appellant neither included this issue within his “Statement of Questions
Involved” nor in a separately headed argument section of his appellate brief.
See Pa.R.A.P. 2116, 2119. However, since Appellant’s briefing failures do not
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Accordingly, Appellant suggests he is entitled to judgment notwithstanding
the verdict (“judgment n.o.v.”) as to Appellee’s defamation claim.
Our standard of review of an order denying judgment n.o.v.
is whether, reading the record in the light most favorable to the
verdict winner and granting the benefit of every favorable
inference, there is sufficient competent evidence to support the
verdict. Any conflict in the evidence must be resolved in the
verdict winner’s favor. Judgment n.o.v. may be granted only in
clear cases where the facts are such that no two reasonable minds
could fail to agree that the verdict was improper.
Tillery v. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 156 A.3d 1233, 1239-40
(Pa.Super. 2017) (quotation omitted). We will disturb a trial court’s grant or
denial of judgment n.o.v. “only for an abuse of discretion or an error of law.”
Quinby v. Plumsadville Family Practice, Inc., 589 Pa. 183, 907 A.2d
1061, 1074 (2006) (citation omitted).
As indicated supra, “the threshold question in an action for defamation
is whether the communication at issue is capable of a defamatory meaning.
It is for the court in the first instance to make this determination[.]” Agriss
v. Roadway Exp., Inc., 483 A.2d 456, 461 (Pa.Super. 1984). Thereafter, if
the trial court concludes the statement is capable of a defamatory meaning,
it is then for the jury, as the finder of fact, to determine whether it was so
understood by the recipient. Id.
[To be defamatory the] communication [must] tend[] to so
harm another’s reputation as to lower h[er] in the estimation of
____________________________________________
impede our meaningful review in this case, we shall review the merits of the
issue as presented in the argument portion of his brief.
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the community or deter third persons from associating or dealing
with h[er]. To be defamatory, these words must have been
understood by the ‘recipient correctly, or mistakenly but
reasonably,’ to mean what the defamed party asserts they were
understood to mean.
Baird v. Dun and Bradstreet, 446 Pa. 266, 285 A.2d 166, 169 (1971)
(citations omitted). With regard to the latter, the “nature of the audience
hearing the remarks is a critical factor[.]” Maier v. Maretti, 671 A.2d 701,
704 (Pa.Super. 1995) (citation omitted).
In the case sub judice, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable
to Appellee, the verdict winner, we conclude the jury could reasonably find
that the recipients of Appellant’s statement understood the statement to be
defamatory in nature.
For instance, Appellant admitted that, although he had no first-hand
knowledge of the situation, he was a policyholder in the instant matter and
informed an Erie representative that he believed the incident as alleged by
Appellee did not occur. N.T., 6/19/19, at 102. He admitted that he was aware
that, if Appellee filed a claim for a loss, and the loss did not occur, the claim
would be considered dishonest. Id. at 108. Further, after being confronted
with his deposition testimony, Appellant admitted at trial that he informed an
Erie representative that Appellee “was a liar who could not be trusted[.]” Id.
at 111-12.
Moreover, Carl Gremminger, an Erie property claim supervisor, admitted
Erie delayed paying Appellee’s insurance claim and conducted a full fraud
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investigation because of statements made by Appellant to Erie
representatives. Id. at 78, 86-87. As indicated supra, such statements
included Appellant’s statement that Appellee “was a liar who could not be
trusted.” Id. at 111-12.
Here, Appellant made his statement that Appellee “was a liar who could
not be trusted” to an Erie representative, who had contacted him in connection
with Appellee’s insurance claim. In response to Appellant’s statement, Erie
conducted a full investigation into whether Appellee’s claim was fraudulent in
nature.
We conclude the jury could reasonably find that the defamatory
meaning of Appellant’s statement was understood by Erie representatives.
See Krolczyk v. Goddard Systems, Inc., 164 A.3d 521 (Pa.Super. 2017)
(holding statement ascribing to the plaintiff the commission of a crime
constitutes defamation); Smith, 588 A.2d at 1311 (finding statements a
person is a liar, thief, or “crook” are defamatory in nature); Agriss, supra
(holding statement published to employee’s supervisor and co-workers
concerning plaintiff’s opening of company mail was defamatory because it
implied to them that the plaintiff had committed a crime). Accordingly, the
trial court did not err in denying Appellant’s request for judgment n.o.v. as to
defamation.
Finally, we note Appellant contends that, assuming, arguendo, the
evidence was sufficient to support the jury’s verdict for defamation, there is
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insufficient evidence to sustain the jury’s verdict for tortious interference with
contact.9 In this vein, Appellant avers that, since Erie paid Appellee’s
insurance claim, there is no evidence that his defamatory statement caused
Appellee any actual damage. Accordingly, Appellant suggests he is entitled to
judgment n.o.v. as to Appellee’s tortious interference with contract claim.10
We have explained that a party is liable for pecuniary loss
due to tortious interference with a contractual relationship when
the party “intentionally and improperly interferes with the
performance of a contract (except a contract to marry) between
another and a third person by inducing or otherwise causing the
third person not to perform the contract....” Walnut St. Assoc.,
Inc. v. Brokerage Concepts, Inc., 982 A.2d 94, 98 (Pa.Super.
2009), aff'd, 610 Pa. 371, 20 A.3d 468 (2011)….[The] elements
of tortious interference with a contractual relationship…are as
follows:
(1) [T]he existence of a contractual relationship
between the complainant and a third party; (2) an
intent on the part of the defendant to harm the
plaintiff by interfering with that contractual
relationship; (3) the absence of privilege or
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9 Appellant sufficiently presented this claim in his post-trial motion and
Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) statement. We note with displeasure, however, that
Appellant neither included this issue within his “Statement of Questions
Involved” nor in a separately headed argument section of his appellate brief.
See Pa.R.A.P. 2116, 2119. However, since Appellant’s briefing failures do not
impede our meaningful review in this case, we shall review the merits of the
issue as presented in the argument portion of his brief.
10 He also suggests that, assuming, arguendo, the evidence was insufficient
to sustain the jury’s verdict for defamation the evidence was likewise
insufficient to sustain the jury’s verdict for tortious interference with contract,
which was based upon the alleged false and defamatory character of the
communication complained of. Accordingly, Appellant seeks judgment n.o.v.
as to Appellee’s tortious interference with contract claim on this basis as well.
As indicated supra, we find no merit to Appellant’s challenges to the jury’s
verdict regarding defamation, and therefore, we need not address this claim
further.
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justification on the part of the defendant; and (4) the
occasioning of actual damage as a result of
defendant’s conduct.
Empire Trucking Co. v. Reading Anthracite Coal Co., 71 A.3d 923, 932-
33 (Pa.Super. 2013) (quotation and citation omitted).
Here, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict
winner, Appellee, we conclude the jury could reasonably find Appellee suffered
“actual damage” as a result of Appellant’s defamatory statement,
notwithstanding the fact Erie eventually paid out on Appellee’s insurance
claim.
For instance, Mr. Gremminger testified Erie delayed paying on Appellee’s
insurance claim and conducted a full fraud investigation due to Appellant’s
statements, which included the statement Appellee was “a liar who could not
be trusted.” N.T., 6/19/19, at 78, 86-87. As part of this investigation,
Appellee was required to drive “fairly far” to Media, Pennsylvania, to meet with
Mr. Carlin. Id. at 49.
Further, Appellee testified that, after the meeting with Mr. Carlin, she
retained counsel to protect her interests with respect to her claim, which she
made under her insurance policy. Id. at 52-53. She noted that, as part of
Erie’s fraud investigation into her claim, she had to produce documents
“repeatedly,” make several telephone calls, sit for a deposition at the behest
of Erie, meet often with her attorney, and complete a questionnaire. Id. at
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54-55. These efforts resulted in her taking time off from work and losing
approximately $15,000.00 in income. Id. at 61.
Moreover, she noted the attorney’s fees she incurred during Erie’s fraud
investigation (which occurred in response to Appellant’s defamatory
statement) were triple the amount of the loss she claimed under her insurance
policy for the stolen items. Id. at 57-58. Appellee testified Erie did not
conclude her claimed loss under the policy was legitimate until after she spent
more than $40,000.00 in attorney’s fees in connection with Erie’s
investigation. Id. at 58-59. Further, Erie did not actually pay out on
Appellee’s insurance claim under her policy until after Appellee filed the instant
civil complaint in which she named Erie as a defendant.
Based on the aforementioned, we conclude the evidence sufficiently
supports the jury’s verdict that Appellee demonstrated actual damage
resulting from Appellant’s defamatory statement as is necessary for tortious
interference with contract. See Empire Trucking Co., supra. Accordingly,
we find no merit to his claim that the trial court erred in denying his request
for judgment n.o.v. as to Appellee’s claim of tortious interference with
contract.
For all of the foregoing reasons, we affirm.
Affirmed.
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Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 8/11/2020
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