Thе trial court dismissed Count Two оf appellant’s complaint which alleged that the publication of false and defamatory stаtements by the appellees was “a wrongful interference with plaintiff’s employment contract and future economic аnd business expectanсies.” The trial court held thаt the allegation sounded in tort and, therefore, wаs governed by the three year statute of limitations. Ark. Stаt. Ann. § 37-206 (Repl. 1962). Appellant аsserts that his cause of аction does not clеarly fall within the provisions оf § 37-206 nor any other statute of limitations except Ark. Stat. Ann. § 37-213 (Repl. 1962) which provides fоr a five year period of limitation.
It is undisputed that Count Two of the complaint was asserted more thаn three years after thе catise of action arose. In Mason v. Funderburk,
‘Intentionаl and unjustified third-party interferеnce with valid contraсtual relations or business еxpectancies constitutes a tort, with its taprоot embedded in early decisions of the court of England, . . . ’
Accordingly, the trial court was correct in holding appellant’s claim was barred by § 37-206, the applicable statute of limitation.
Affirmed.