Martel Construction, Inc. v. State

The appellant, State of Montana, appeals from a judgment entered on a jury verdict rendered in the District Court of the First Judicial District, Lewis and Clark County, awarding the respondent, Martel Construction, Inc., $549,000 in damages for breach of contract. We affirm in part, reverse in part and remand for a new trial.

The sole issue for review is whether the District Court erred in ruling that Martel could recover, as an element of damages against the State, the interest expense paid on funds it was allegedly required to borrow in order to finance extra work caused by the State.

In…