Law for Business 10th Edition by James Barnes,Terry Dworkin,Eric Richards

Exercise 11

Steenberg Homes had a mobile home to deliver. The easiest route of delivery was across the Jacques' land. Each time the elderly couple was asked if delivery could be made across their land, they refused. On the morning of the planned move, the Jacques called some neighbors and the town chairman, and they met with the Steenberg manager. The manager asked how much it would take to allow them to deliver across the land. Mr. Jacque replied it was not a question of money; he just did not want them to cross his land. After the meeting, the manager ordered the delivery anyway and had the town road blocked so that no one could see what they were doing. Steenberg employees plowed a path through Jacques' snow-covered field and delivered the home. The Jacques sued and were awarded $1.00 in nominal damages, and $100,000 in punitive damages. Steenberg challenged the award of punitive damages as excessive and not justified because only nominal damages were awarded. Can punitive damages be awarded in a trespass case in which the damages were only nominal?