Opinion ID: 1841676
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Substantial Weight of the Evidence

Text: While Appellants raise numerous issues for consideration on this appeal, the central issue presented is premised upon allegations that the jury's findings of actionable misrepresentations against the Appellants, as well as its award of punitive damages, were unsupported by the substantial weight of the evidence. We cannot agree. We begin our analysis by noting that jury verdicts carry with them a presumption of correctness, such presumption being strengthened when a motion for a new trial is denied by the trial court. Walker v. Cardwell, 348 So.2d 1049 (Ala. 1977); Neil Huffman Volkswagen Corp. v. Ridolphi, 378 So.2d 700 (Ala.1979); Hodges & Company v. Albrecht, 288 Ala. 281, 285-86, 259 So. 829, 832 (1972). Appellants have labored long and arduously in an effort to bolster their contentions that the strength of the evidence before the jury was not of a magnitude to facilitate its verdict. However, we cannot say that the preponderance of the evidence against the verdict is so decided as to clearly convince us that it is wrong and unjust. See 2A Ala. Digest, Appeal and Error, 303 (1955); Johnson v. King, 260 Ala. 497, 71 So.2d 60 (1954). Consequently, we refuse to set aside the trial judge's denial of Appellant's motion for a new trial based upon the insufficiency of the evidence of record to support the jury verdict. As to the issue of punitive damages, we are unpersuaded by Appellant's contentions of excessiveness in amount. Punitive damages need not correlate to actual damages. Neil Huffman Volkswagen Corp., supra; Ray Hughes Chevrolet, Inc. v. Gordon, 294 Ala. 638, 320 So.2d 652 (1975); Foster v. Floyd, 276 Ala. 428, 163 So.2d 213 (1964). The only question regarding excessiveness is whether the judicial conscience is quickened by the verdict. Foster, supra . If the strongest tendencies of the Plaintiff's evidence were believed by the jury, such evidence clearly would support a finding of intentional reprehensible conduct and an award of $10,000 is well within the bounds of reason as punishment therefor. Ray Hughes Chevrolet, supra.