Hager v. Major

Action to recover $50,000 actual and $100,000 punitive damages for alleged libel. Separate demurrers to the petition were sustained and plaintiff appealed. The following background explanation will be helpful to the reader.

Defendant insurance companies, on September 13, 1941, had pending in the federal district court at Kansas City, a suit against L.H. and Carrie L. Trotter, the purpose of which was to obtain a declaratory judgment that they were not liable for loss under certain fire insurance policies issued to the Trotters. The insurance companies alleged that L.H. Trotter had caused the…