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Law v. Harris

The law does not provide a remedy in a suit for intentional infliction of emotional distress for alleged conduct, which is merely rude or insulting.

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Ardie Bell Law sued Sardis Presbyterian Church, its pastor, and one of its deacons for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Law appeals the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the defendants, claiming that the trial court erred in finding that the defendants’ alleged conduct was insufficient as a matter of law to support her claim. Finding no error, we affirm. A defendant may prevail on its motion for summary judgment by showing the court that the record, viewed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, reveals “no evidence sufficient to create a jury issue on at least one essential element of plaintiff’s case.”1 If the defendant discharges this burden, the plaintiff cannot rest on its pleadings, but rather must point to specific evidence giving rise to a triable issue.2 Our review of an appeal from summary judgment is de novo.3

So viewed, the record reveals that Law was a long-time member of the Church and that she managed the Church’s food bank, which was located in the Church basement. Law claims that Harold Harris, who was the pastor of the Church, “was verbally abusive . . ., humiliated her in front of other church members, and made direct threats to her that he intended to take over the food bank.” Law alleges that, during an April 6, 2005 meeting at which Harris was in attendance, Church leaders “demanded that she return the keys to the church, remove all food bank property from the Church, and cease operations of the food bank.” She further claims that when she arrived at the Church the next day, George Fields, who was a Church deacon, “became confrontational” with her in the presence of others and demanded that she “surrender the church keys at once.”

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