Kvasnicka v. Montgomery Ward & Co.

Action for malicious prosecution. Plaintiff sought $50,000 actual and $50,000 punitive damages. The jury returned a verdict for plaintiff for $8,000 "compensatory damages only" against defendant Montgomery Ward and Company, but found in favor of defendant Ira Johnson. Defendant Montgomery Ward and Company has appealed.

On the morning of May 25, 1936, a woman passed a forged check at the Montgomery Ward and Company's store in Kansas City. Less than a month later the handwriting in the check was identified by two handwriting experts as the same as that of an application for employment filed by…