Page:Brown v. Tucker.pdf/4

438   12(b)(6) motions, it must look only to the complaint. Id. This court has summarized the requirements for pleading facts as follows:

"Arkansas has adopted a clear standard to require fact pleading: "a pleading which sets forth a claim for relief shall contain (1) a statement in ordinary and concise language of facts showing that the pleader is entitled to relief " ARCP Rule 8(a)(1). Rule 12(b)(6) provides for the dismissal of a complaint for "failure to state facts upon which relief can be granted." This court has stated that these two rules must be read together in testing the sufficiency of the complaint; facts, not mere conclusions, must be alleged. Rabalaias v. Barnett, 284 Ark. 527, 683 S.W.2d 919 (1985). In testing the sufficiency of the complaint on a motion to dismiss, all reasonable inferences must be resolved in favor of the complaint, and pleadings are to be liberally construed. Id.; ARCP Rule 8(1)."

Malone, 325 Ark. at 385-86, 926 S.W.2d at 661 (quoting Hollingsworth v. First Nat'l Bank & Trust Co., 311 Ark. 637, 639, 846 S.W.2d 176, 178 (1993)). Where the complaint states only conclusions without facts, we will affirm the trial court's decision to dismiss the complaint pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6). Id.

Appellant's abstract lends little support to his argument that the trial court erred in dismissing his complaint. The complaint itself, which contains mostly legal conclusions, is abstracted as follows:

"Filed February 6, 1996. Plaintiff alleges slander, tortious interference with employment expectancy, and tort of outrage."

"Plaintiff was an investigator with the Arkansas State Police who was assigned to investigate the school funding formula. Plaintiff alleges tortious interference with business expectancy. Plaintiff also alleges that defendant slandered him by referring to him as incompetent and unable to function in his position. Plaintiff alleges that defendant forced Col[.] Tommy Goodwin to demote plaintiff with the hopeful end result of forcing plaintiff to resign. Plaintiff alleges that defendant's actions exceeded all bounds of common decency, amounting to tort of outrage for plaintiff's emotional distress."