Goodale v. Lachowski

Defendant appeals the trial court’s denial of his motions for a directed verdict and for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The issue is whether the trial court was correct in allowing the jury to award punitive damages when the only other relief sought and received by plaintiffs was an accounting. We affirm.

For approximately 20 years, plaintiffs and defendant operated a court reporting service together. By agreement of the parties, each rendered services as a court reporter and billed his services as Goodale, Friedsam and Lachowski. Defendant received 75 percent of his collected billings,…