What is tortious interference?

Tortious interference refers to the unlawful act of meddling in a contractual relationship, leading to a disruption of that relationship and potentially causing economic harm to one of the parties involved. This legal concept allows a party to seek damages if another party intentionally disrupts or interferes with their contractual agreements. For instance, if one business encourages another to breach its contract with a third party, that could be considered tortious interference.

In contrast, options that imply lawful behavior, such as a lawful act in a contractual relationship, or methods of resolving disputes do not capture the essence of tortious interference, which specifically denotes an unlawful interference. Furthermore, the choice describing an act of criminal breach of contract does not accurately reflect the nature of tortious interference, as it is primarily a civil matter rather than a criminal one. Therefore, the definition provided by the correct answer aligns with the essential characteristics of tortious interference within legal terminology.