Opinion ID: 886773
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Damages Recoverable as a Result of a Forcible Detainer

Text: ¶ 42 Savoy argues if Hardings and Skogens are entitled to any damages at all, their award should be limited to the damages supported by evidence at trial, which Savoy claims to be $6,605.00 for Hardings and $1,584.00 for Skogens. She claims the District Court erred when it awarded $30,000.00 in economic loss to Skogens, as such amount is comprised chiefly of litigation expenses. Savoy argues further that Hardings and Skogens are not entitled to an award for loss of peaceful and quiet enjoyment because they did not cite any authority in support of such an award and because they failed to offer any proof regarding the value of this loss, choosing an arbitrary figure of $10,000.00 for the first time in their proposed order. ¶ 43 Hardings and Skogens respond they are entitled to all damages caused by Savoy's conduct, including lost profits, emotional distress, and incidental damages. They argue because Savoy is guilty of forcible detainer, all damages caused by Savoy are recoverable under the statute, including those for emotional distress caused by loss of peaceful and quiet enjoyment. Further, they assert Savoy never contested any of the damages claimed by the parties at trial and that this alone is a basis for affirming the District Court's judgment. Skogens further assert their damage award of $30,000.00 was not compensation for litigation expenses, but was for lost business profits directly attributable to Savoy. ¶ 44 Section 70-27-205, MCA, provides that a plaintiff who proves a wrongful detainer is entitled to restitution of the premises, recovery of rent, and all damages caused by the unlawful detainer. We have not previously addressed the question of whether emotional distress damages, damages for lost profits, and incidental damages are recoverable under this statute. However, the California Court of Appeals has done so, relying on a virtually identical statute, and holding a plaintiff is entitled to recover any damages that are the natural and proximate consequence of the alleged forcible or unlawful detainer, including lost profits. San Francisco & Suburban Home Building Society v. Leonard (1911), 17 Cal.App. 254, 266, 119 P. 405, 410; see 36A C.J.S. Forcible Entry and Detainer § 60 (2003) (damages which are the natural and proximate consequence of a forcible detainer are recoverable). ¶ 45 As with any other finding, a district court's damage determination is a factual finding which must be upheld if it is supported by substantial evidence.... Semenza v. Bowman (1994), 268 Mont. 118, 125, 885 P.2d 451, 455. Since the district court is in the best position to determine the proper amount of damages, Keily Constr. L.L.C. v. City of Red Lodge, 2002 MT 241, ¶ 106, 312 Mont. 52, ¶ 106, 57 P.3d 836, ¶ 106, its decision will not be disturbed unless the amount awarded is so grossly out of proportion to the injury as to shock the conscience. Maloney v. Home and Inv. Ctr., Inc., 2000 MT 34, ¶ 29, 298 Mont. 213, ¶ 29, 994 P.2d 1124, ¶ 29. ¶ 46 Savoy's argument that the damage award should be limited to $6,605.00 for Hardings and $1,584.00 for Skogens is not persuasive. Savoy did not contest any damage evidence put on by Hardings and Skogens at trial. Nor did she attempt to prove Hardings and Skogens failed to mitigate their damages. Thus, the only evidence upon which the District Court could base its decision was that presented by Hardings and Skogens. We conclude the District Court's award of $29,440.00 in damages, trebled to $88,320.00, to Hardings and its award of $33,700.00, trebled to $101,100.00, to Skogens is supported by substantial evidence in the record and is therefore, not clearly erroneous. ¶ 47 Finally, Savoy's argument that Hardings and Skogens are not entitled to emotional distress damages based on loss of peaceful and quiet enjoyment must also fail. We have previously allowed emotional distress damages in disputes regarding real property. Maloney, ¶¶ 67-69. Further, the District Court awarded only half of what the parties requested, and there was ample uncontroverted evidence in the record to support such an award. Thus, we hold the District Court did not err in its award of $10,000.00, trebled to $30,000.00, for loss of peaceful and quiet enjoyment to both Hardings and Skogens.