
    THOMAS WILLIAM HILL v. BOBBY MEDFORD, Individually and as Sheriff of Buncombe County; and WESTERN SURETY COMPANY
    No. 389A03
    (Filed 5 December 2003)
    Employer and Employee— termination of deputy sheriff — at-will employee — public policy violation — breach of contract
    The decision of the Court of Appeals in this case is reversed for the reason stated in the dissenting opinion that an at-will employee (a deputy sheriff) who alleges wrongful discharge by his employer (the sheriff) for reasons that violate public policy does not have a claim for breach of contract against the employer on that basis. The deputy sheriff may only maintain a tort claim against the sheriff limited to the amount of the sheriffs bond.
    Appeal pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 7A-30(2) from the decision of a divided panel of the Court of Appeals, 158 N.C. App.-, 582 S.E.2d 325 (2003), affirming an order entered 8 May 2002 by Judge James Baker, Jr., in Superior Court, Buncombe County. Heard in the Supreme Court 18 November 2003.
    
      Long, Parker, Warren & Jones, PA., by Robert B. Long, Jr., and W. Scott Jones, for defendant-appellants.
    
    
      Carter & Kropelnicki, P.A., by Steven Kropelnicki, Jr., for plaintiff-appellee.
    
    
      Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, P.L.L.C., by Mark A. Davis, for amicus curiae North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.
    
   PER CURIAM.

For the reasons stated in the dissenting opinion, the decision of the Court of Appeals is reversed.

REVERSED.  