Opinion ID: 2201396
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Reconciliation of Verdicts on Remaining Counts.

Text: Based upon the determinations we have made in the preceding portions of this opinion, the jury verdicts for wrongful attachment, tortious interference and civil rights violations under section 1983 cannot be permitted to stand. The jury's verdicts on the conversion and abuse of process counts did not necessarily relate to the same elements of damage as the verdict for sale in other than a commercially reasonable manner. The court's instructions on these counts permitted the jury to also award damages for loss to future business operations. We believe, however, that recovery for those additional elements must be deemed to be precluded as a result of the same deficiencies in causal proof which prompted us to deny recovery of damages on the Kloosters' claim for tortious interference with prospective business relationships. The elements of damage for conversion or abuse of process which were sustained by the evidence were included in the jury's verdict for sale in other than a reasonably commercial manner. Accordingly, no retrial on these issues need be ordered. In reconciling the recoveries on the various counts in accordance with our opinion, the plaintiff is entitled to judgment for actual damages of $145,000 (the amount returned on the verdict for sale in other than a reasonably commercial manner) and to punitive damages in the sum of $100,000. No other recovery shall be included in the judgment, nor should the defendants be required to pay attorney fees. The Kloosters have filed a notice of cross appeal. They request that the separate punitive damage awards be totaled, a contention rejected in Division V. They also complain about several of the court's instructions and rulings on evidence. We view these arguments as requests for directions to the court in the event that the case is retried. Under our disposition, the case will not be retried. The judgment from which appeal has been taken is reversed, and the case is remanded to the district court for entry of a new judgment in accordance with our opinion. Costs on appeal are assessed sixty percent to the Kloosters and forty percent to the bank. AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND REMANDED.