Lawyers Title Ins. Corp. v. Vella

The defendants — Roberts Brothers, Inc. ("Roberts"), Realty Title Company ("Realty"), and Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation ("Lawyers") — appeal from a judgment entered on a jury verdict in favor of the plaintiffs, John H. Vella and Elizabeth Ann Vella. The jury awarded the Vellas compensatory damages in the amount of $100,000 against all defendants and assessed punitive damages in the amount of $275,000 against Realty and Lawyers on a claim of reckless misrepresentation. The trial court granted Realty and Lawyers' motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict on the claim for punitive…