Opinion ID: 2569613
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: weaver's claim for punitive damages

Text: Stafford argues the district judge erred by awarding Weaver punitive damages for Stafford's trespass because Skinner's April 1995 survey did not establish the boundary between Lot 16 and the Stafford property and Stafford believed he had title to Lot 16. We have stated: An award of punitive damages will be sustained on appeal only when it is shown that the defendant acted in a manner that was an extreme deviation from reasonable standards of conduct, and that the act was performed by the defendant with an understanding of or disregard for its likely consequences. The justification of punitive damages must be that the defendant acted with an extremely harmful state of mind, whether that be termed malice, oppression, fraud or gross negligence; malice, oppression, wantonness; or simply deliberate or willful. Highland Enters., Inc. v. Barker, 133 Idaho 330, 348-349, 986 P.2d 996, 1014-15 (1999) (citations omitted). Punitive damages are thus appropriate in a trespass action when the defendant acted in a manner which was outrageous, unfounded, unreasonable, and in conscious disregard of the plaintiffs property rights. See, e.g., Walter E. Wilhite Revocable Living Trust v. Northwest Yearly Meeting Pension Fund, 128 Idaho 539, 549, 916 P.2d 1264, 1274 (1996). Where a trespassing defendant has notice that his activities constitute a trespass and nonetheless continues his trespass, the landowner plaintiff may be entitled to punitive damages. See Aztec Ltd., Inc. v. Creekside Inv. Co., 100 Idaho 566, 570, 602 P.2d 64, 68 (1979). We review an award of punitive damages to determine whether the record contains substantial evidence to support the judge's finding of extremely unreasonable and malicious conduct. Magic Valley Radiology Assocs., P.A. v. Prof'l Bus. Servs., Inc., 119 Idaho 558, 561, 808 P.2d 1303, 1306 (1991). Here, the record contains substantial evidence that Stafford's conduct was an extreme deviation from reasonable conduct. For example, in the fall of 1994 or spring of 1995, Stafford removed the original fence and filled in the original dirt ditch located between the cement irrigation ditch on Lot 16 and the surveyed boundary line. Stafford made no measurements or any documentary record regarding the location of the original fence and dirt ditch. In April 1995, the boundary between Lot 16 and the Stafford property was established by licensed survey and was determined to be in the location of the original dirt ditch. In the fall of 1995, Stafford proceeded to erect a new fence on Lot 16 which Skinner's November 1996 survey established encroached upon Lot 16 from a minimum of 2.17 feet to a maximum of 10.2 feet. In March of 1997, Stafford excavated a new dirt ditch on Lot 16 in approximately the same location as the encroaching new fence. Stafford admitted at trial that the new dirt ditch was located on Lot 16 without Weaver's permission. Stafford thus erected the new fence and excavated the new ditch on Lot 16 with full knowledge of the boundary between Lot 16 and the Stafford property, demonstrating willful disregard for Weaver's property rights. We therefore hold substantial and competent evidence supports the district judge's punitive damages award to Weaver.