Opinion ID: 2001887
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: baychar's fiduciary duty action

Text: The RTC challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the jury's finding that American breached a fiduciary duty it owed to Baychar. [2] The salient elements of a [fiduciary relationship] are the actual placing of trust and confidence in fact by one party in another and a great disparity of position and influence between the parties to the action. Ruebsamen v. Maddocks, 340 A.2d 31, 35 (Me.1975). Although the nature of the relationship between Wood and Baychar may have been amenable to different characterizations on the basis of the evidence presented at trial, we reject the argument of the RTC that to find a fiduciary relationship the evidence must establish that Baychar was completely incapable of acting to protect her own interests. We have previously stated that we cannot overthrow the findings of the [fact finder] simply because the parties were mature individuals in full possession of their faculties. Confidential relations can, and do, exist between such people. Ruebsamen, 340 A.2d at 36. The jury heard competent evidence of the following: Baychar expressed to Young her concerns about Wood's capabilities and asked him whether she should continue with Wood as the contractor. Young professed superior knowledge of Wood's integrity and work performance. Baychar placed her trust in that superior knowledge when she continued with Wood rather than seeking an alternate contractor. Moreover, Young was in a superior position to Baychar in relation to Wood due to Young's extensive prior experience with Wood and his knowledge about Wood's financial condition. Young assured Baychar of Wood's integrity, recommended against Baychar seeking another contractor, and directed Baychar to disburse funds to Wood. On the evidence before it, the jury rationally could have found the existence of a fiduciary relationship between Baychar and Young and Young's breach of a fiduciary duty to Baychar. [3] The RTC also challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support an award of punitive damages. Punitive damages may be assessed when clear and convincing evidence supports a finding of malice, actual or implied. Tuttle v. Raymond, 494 A.2d 1353, 1361 (Me.1985). Based on competent evidence in the record, the jury rationally could have found to a high degree of probability that Young's advice to Baychar was disingenuous and motivated by a desire to improve Wood's debt performance thereby indirectly improving Young's position with American at Baychar's expense. This behavior may reasonably be considered outrageous, and thus it supports a finding of implied malice sufficient for an assessment of punitive damages. Id.