Gates v. Life of Montana Insurance

Plaintiff brought this action to recover damages for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing implicit in an at-will, employment contract. Summary judgment for defendant was reversed in Gates v. Life of Montana (1982), 196 Mont. 178, 638 P.2d 1063, 39 St. Rep. 16. The case was remanded for trial and resulted in a jury verdict in favor of plaintiff for $1,891 in compensatory damages and $50,000 in punitive damages. The trial court entered judgment for plaintiff on compensatory damages but entered judgment notwithstanding the verdict in favor of defendant on puni*306tive damages.…