▁successfully ▁establish ing ▁or ▁maintain ing ▁business ▁relationships ▁with ▁others . ▁This ▁tort ▁may ▁occur ▁when ▁one ▁party ▁know ingly ▁takes ▁an ▁action ▁that ▁causes ▁a ▁second ▁party ▁not ▁to ▁enter ▁into ▁a ▁business ▁relationship ▁with ▁a ▁third ▁party ▁that ▁otherwise ▁would ▁probably ▁have ▁occurred . ▁An ▁example ▁is ▁when ▁a ▁tort fe as or ▁offers ▁to ▁sell ▁a ▁property ▁to ▁someone ▁below ▁market ▁value ▁knowing ▁they ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁stages ▁of ▁a ▁sale ▁with ▁a ▁third ▁party ▁pending ▁the ▁up coming ▁settlement ▁date ▁to ▁formal ize ▁the ▁sale ▁writing . ▁Such ▁conduct ▁is ▁term ed ▁" t ort ious ▁inter ference ▁with ▁a ▁business ▁expect ancy ". ▁ ▁The ▁above ▁situation ▁are ▁action able ▁only ▁if ▁someone ▁with ▁actual ▁knowledge ▁of , ▁and ▁intent ▁to ▁inter f ere ▁with , ▁an ▁existing ▁contract ▁or ▁expect ancy ▁between ▁other ▁parties , ▁acts ▁impro per ly ▁with ▁mal icious ▁intent ▁and ▁actually ▁inter fer es ▁with ▁the ▁contract / expect ancy , ▁causing ▁economic ▁harm . ▁Histor ically , ▁there ▁has ▁not ▁been ▁action able ▁cause ▁if ▁the ▁inter ference ▁was ▁merely ▁. ▁However , ▁for ▁some ▁juris dict ions ▁recognize ▁such ▁claims , ▁ ▁although ▁many ▁do ▁not . ▁A ▁tort ▁of ▁neg lig ent ▁inter ference ▁occurs ▁when ▁one ▁party ' s ▁neg lig ence ▁dam ages ▁the ▁contract ual ▁or ▁business ▁relationship ▁between ▁others ▁causing ▁economic ▁harm , ▁such ▁as , ▁by ▁blocking ▁a ▁water way ▁or ▁causing ▁a ▁black out ▁prevent ing ▁the ▁utility ▁company ▁from ▁being ▁able ▁to