Hinton v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.

CLARK, Judge.

This suit in trover and conversion resulted in a jury verdict for plaintiff awarding actual and punitive damages. On motion by the defendant the trial court entered judgment notwithstanding the verdict as to punitive damages leaving plaintiff with a nominal recovery in actual damages. The appeal presents two questions. The first is whether the plaintiff presented substantial and credible evidence to support a verdict for punitive damages. The second is whether the trial court erred in rejecting the first verdict which the jury returned and requiring it to retire for additional…