LW Johnson & Assoc., Inc. v. RIVERS CONST. CO.

This appeal arises from a fraud and breach of contract suit filed by Rivers Construction Company, a corporation, and Allen Foster against L.W. Johnson and Associates, Inc. ("Johnson Associates"), and L.W. Johnson. Johnson Associates contracted with Rivers Construction for pipeline work in connection with gas wells developed by Johnson Associates. After Rivers Construction completed substantially all of the work, Johnson Associates refused to pay. The jury awarded $165,000 compensatory and $500,000 punitive damages.

Johnson Associates and Johnson raise the following issues:

"I. Whether the trial…