VERDICT: $759,740.45 to insurance agent on counterclaim alleging breach of Agency Appointment Agreement by terminating for alleged switching and failing to pay contract value… insurance company’s claim of breach of agreement/non-compete rejected.

Farmers Ins. Exchange et al v. Goldan, Gallatin DV-10-651, 4/24/15.

Mark Parker (Parker, Heitz & Cosgrove), Billings, for Farmers; John Taussig (Taussig & Taussig), Boulder, Colo., and Sherine Ferando (Kasting, Kauffman & Mersen), Bozeman, for Goldan.

DEFAULT JUDGMENT: $224,982.63 net, breach of farm lease… Hayworth.

Newman Ayers Ranch v. Stoddard and Mill Iron Spear Ranch, Custer DV-12-14, 4/20/15.

Juliane Lore (Lore Law Firm), Billings & Lewistown, for Plaintiffs.

Plan I

Blaine Edwards, low back, 6/08, $272,911, Steve Carey

Billie Taylor, low back, 1/13, disp PT, $45,000, med res, Bernard Everett

Loralee Fix, knee, 5/14, 1 medical issue, $5,000, Russell Plath

No lawyer: Cynthia Deutsch, mult, 14, disp, $2,000; Thomas Mills, upper arm, 11, $12,500, med clos

Plan II

Jeremiah Madruga, shoulder(s), 7/13, $75,000, med clos, Andrew Huppert

Seth Phelps, low back, 7/14, $50,000, medical closed, Leslae Dalpiaz

Thomas Tate, shoulder(s), 9/14, disputed, $41,500, Leslae Dalpiaz

Lisa Braley, shoulder(s), 6/14, PT, $37,500, Tommy Murphy

Kathy Fenner, shoulder(s), 6/14, disputed, $20,000, Tommy Murphy

Pam Kroll, multiple, $12,299, medical closed, Jay Dufrechou

John Hubbard, neck, 11/14, disputed, $8,000, Bradley Jones

David Ramirez, toes, 5/13, $6,000, Matthew Tourtlotte

No lawyer: Kathleen Chasteen, chest, 15, disp, $4,500, shoulder(s), 14, disp, $2,000; Paul Dahlen, mult, 14, $2,500; Justin Matthews, shoulder(s), 13, disp, $7,500; Travis Nesheim, mult, 15, disp, $400; Michael Sims, upper extrems, $9,500; Bidroe Tolbert, shoulder(s), 13, $30,000, med res; Jeriene Yatch, low back, 14, $38,944, med res

Plan III

Tamara Tragakiss, internal organs, 4/03, $170,000, med clos, James Edmiston

Kenneth Northam, lower extremities, 2/10, disputed PT, $90,000, medical reserved, Russell Plath

Leola Wentworth, lower extremities, 2/14, disputed, $66,000, Andrew Huppert

Richard Sederlin, upper extremities, 6/14, $45,000, med clos, Michael Bliven

Duane Stutzman, knee, 12/12, $45,000, med closed, Stacy Tempel-St. John

Linda Lewis, internal organs, 4/14, disputed, $15,000, Leslae Dalpiaz

Jonathan Lion, multiple, 6/93, 1 medical issue, $1,750, Laurie Wallace

No lawyer: Kenneth Clark, low back, 13, $12,000, med clos; Lonnie Frey, knee, 14, disp, $2,500; Rosario Idrogo, internal organs, 14, disp, $2,500; Brian Kallhoff, lower extrems, 10, $30,000; Wilbur Rytky, internal organs, 11, $2,302, med clos; Jacinta Walsh, hand, 14, disp, $2,500; Jordan White, wrist, 14, disp, $1,100

 

VERDICT: $138,195 (85/15), punitives liability, negligent issuance of loan based on forged resignation-of-trustee document… entire claim settled for undisclosed amount.

Carl B. Stanley Trust v. Eastern Savings Bank, Gallatin DV-10-291, 4/21/15.

Edward Guza (Guza, Nesbitt & Putzier), Bozeman, for the Trust; Paul Collins & Justin Harkins (Crowley Fleck), Billings, for ESB.

PUNITIVES REVIEW: $16,760,000 punitives upheld on top of $286,550 lending breach compensatory damages verdict for wrongful set off/breach of contract… statutory punitives cap unconstitutional… Plaintiff awarded $7,500,482 fees, $90,820 costs… McLean.

Kelly Logging v. First Interstate Bank, Missoula DV-12-928, 4/21/15.

David Paoli (Paoli Kutzman), Missoula, and Timothy Strauch (Strauch Law Firm), Missoula, for Kelly; David Charles (Crowley Fleck), Billings, and Danielle Coffman, (Crowley Fleck), Kalispell, for FIB.

Traffic stop: Miranda warnings not required during traffic stop by chatty prying Trooper, length of stop not measurably prolonged, driver consented to all inquiries unrelated to speeding infraction… part of delay justified by reasonable suspicion including prior drug arrest, inconsistencies about travel plans, appearance of vehicle, luggage… driver free to leave prior to dog sniff… suppression in major drug bust denied… Molloy.

US v. Iturbe-Gonzalez, CR 14-23-BU, 4/23/15.

Federal Defender John Rhodes; AUSAs Tara Elliott & Tim Racicot.

Plan I

John Wells, lower back, 3/14, $90,000, medical closed, Chris Helmer

Stefani Williams, multiple, 9/13, disputed, $5,000, Russell Plath

Plan II

David Filer, lower leg, 9/14, disp PT, $150,000, med clos, Michele Levine

Craig Rude, multiple, 2/12, disputed PT, $60,000, med clos, John Seidlitz

Stephen Maurer, upper extremities, 1/13, $55,437, Chris Ragar

John Dahm, ankle, 10/98, $39,999, Robert Ogg

Lloyd Geary, upper extremities, 8/14, disputed, $35,000, Kenneth Thomas

Angela Held, shoulder(s), 8/13, disputed, $30,000, Richard Martin

James Lucas, foot, 4/13, disputed PT, $24,500, medical closed, Kim Schulke

Jason Richard, low back, 11/14, disputed, $20,000, Kenneth Thomas

Michael Davis, lower back, 1/15, $10,000, medical closed, Kim Schulke

Christine Goodman, low back, 14, disputed, $7,500, Margaret Dufrechou

Justus Wharton, shoulder(s), 4/14, $2,500, Charla Tadlock

No lawyer: Juanita Fatouras, ankle, 13, $3,200; Angel Hix, foot, 14, $5,000; Richard Mueller, neck, 14, disp, $20,000; Dennis Riedlinger, shoulder(s), 12, $42,500, med res; Michael Russell, chest, 15, disp, $4,734

Plan III

Walt Marquart, knee, 9/05, $190,000, Andrew Huppert

Kimberly Hammer, elbow, 5/07, $65,000, Garry Seaman

Lisa Beaty, upper back, 8/13, disputed PT, $55,000, med res, Alex Evans

Tim Perry, low back, 8/13, $55,000, medical closed, Alex Evans

Victoria Petersen, knee, 2/11, $45,000, medical closed, Chris Helmer

Patrick O’Neill, chest, 1/06, disputed, $20,000, Jon Heberling

Chris King, soft-tissue neck, 7/13, $17,500, Matthew Murphy

Leaf Harrison, knee, 6/14, $9,000, Leslae Dalpiaz

Tina Schara, ankle, 5/14, disputed, $3,000, Paul Toennis

Terry Morrissette, finger(s), 2/14, disputed, $2,870, Kenneth Thomas

No lawyer: Nicholas Barnes, upper extrems, 14, $1,000; Robert Benjamin, internal organs, 13, $55,000; Bobbie Dixon, low back, $1,500, med clos; Corrina Gilbertson, elbow, 14, $20,000; Rick Haasakker, upper back, 02, $10,000, med clos; Mary Jalbert, wrist, 09, $6,500; Kathy Pering, low back, 07, $7,500, med clos; Darcy Rasmussen, finger(s), 09, $18,500; George Taylor, internal organs, 04, $110,000

 

VERDICT: $200,841.75 (75/25) against HUB, summary judgment for MSF, constructive fraud/negligence claims by Montana drilling company as to comp coverage for work in Alaska.

T&J Enterprises v. HUB International Mountain States Ltd. and Montana State Fund, L&C ADV 12-370, 4/1/15.

Robert Phillips (Phillips & Haffey), Missoula, for T&J; Mark Higgins (Ugrin, Alexander, Zadick & Higgins), Great Falls, for HUB; Randy Cox & Thomas Leonard (Boone Karlberg), Missoula, for MSF.

State Trial Courts

JURISDICTION: Insufficient facts pled in complaint to establish jurisdiction over Ohio manufacturer of refrigerator that allegedly caused fire in Florida in RV made in Alabama and purchased by Montana LLC, deficiency not cured by arguments in brief derived from manufacturer’s website… leave to amend complaint denied for failure to establish general jurisdiction per Daimler… Townsend.

Streetwise LV LLC v. Norcold and Tiffin Motorhomes, Missoula DV-13-1199, dismissing for lack of personal jurisdiction 4/6/15, denying leave to amend 4/9/15.

John Hart (Rossbach Hart), Missoula, for Streetwise; Thomas Leonard & Matthew Hayhurst (Boone Karlberg), Missoula, for Norcold.

JUDGE DISQUALIFICATION: De novo review adopted for denial of recusal request… timeliness requirement adopted for claim of disqualification that can be waived under CJC 2.12(c), claim of bias or prejudice cannot be waived and thus timeliness requirement not applicable to bias or prejudice, claim of knowledge of facts in controversy acquired from prior representation of client in separate but related matter subject to timeliness requirement… claim for disqualification of sentencing judge who represented SVORA Defendant’s daughter in abuse/neglect case in which Defendant was accused of incest subject to timeliness requirement, waived by counsel’s apparent tactical decision to not seek disqualification… Allison affirmed.

Shea, McGrath, Wheat, McKinnon, Cotter.

State v. Dunsmore, DA 14-87, 4/21/15.

Asst. Appel. Defender Gregory Hood; Asst. AG Pamela Collins; Dep. Flathead Co. Atty. Alison Howard.