Tarleton v. M'Gawley

King's Bench

170 Eng. Rep. 153 (K.B. 1793)

Relevant factsFree

Rival trader M'Gawley (defendant) fired a cannon ball at a canoe of Africans approaching Tarleton's (plaintiff) representative to discuss a trade relationship, killing one and scaring the others away from trading with Tarleton, without having paid required trading fees himself.

IssueFree

Whether a plaintiff has an action for interference with prospective advantage against an individual who interferes with the plaintiff's business dealings by using unlawful means.

Holding & reasoning

The court resolved the question by applying the controlling rule to the facts and explaining precisely why the outcome followed. Its reasoning ties the doctrine to the record so you can reproduce the analysis on an exam.

Procedural history, concurrence & dissent

This section traces the case from the trial court through appeal and lays out how each opinion lands. Separate writings sharpen the majority's limits and flag the arguments most likely to resurface in class.

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