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SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA NO. 99-C-1423 FREDERICK COLLINS V. THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, ET AL ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF APPEAL, FOURTH CIRCUIT, PARISH OF ORLEANS

MARCUS, Justice* Frederick Collins accepted a job with Prudential

Insurance Company in 1989.

On Friday May 4, 1995, his supervisor, Collins was allowed to

Leo Beaulieu, terminated his employment.

return on the following Monday to gather his personal belongings. On that same date, a memo was circulated to the office staff informing them of his termination. made regarding the termination In that memo, statements were which Collins interpreted as

defamatory. Collins filed suit against Prudential and Beaulieu for libel, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress by virtue of the statements in the Monday memo. Relying on

provisions in an agreement signed by Collins at the time of his employment, defendants filed a joint motion to compel arbitration. The trial judge granted the defendants' motion and stayed all proceedings pending the outcome of an arbitration to be instituted by the plaintiff. Plaintiff appealed the order compelling arbitration, contending that his defamation claim did not fall within the scope of the arbitration agreement, which he admitted was otherwise valid and enforceable. Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the appeal

on the ground that the arbitration order was interlocutory and non*

Victory, J., not on panel.

Rule IV, Part 2,

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