Hardball tactics are common in business. Often, the law not only does not prohibit such tactics, it encourages them in the name of vibrant competition and efficiency. However, there are lines that cannot be crossed, at least not without creating risks of liability.
The Pennsylvania Superior Court’s recent decision in Empire Trucking v. Reading Anthracite Coal, 71 A.3d 923 (June 21, 2013), provides an example of conduct that crossed the line and led to liability for tortious interference with contract. The defendant, Reading Anthracite Coal Co. (RACC), was a coal supplier. The plaintiff, Empire Trucking Co., was a trucking company that contracted with RACC to haul RACC coal. Empire subcontracted much of that work to other trucking companies.
