Opinion ID: 1926607
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Punitive Damages Awards

Text: The jury did not award compensatory damages either to Bykofsky regarding his claim of conversion of personal property (count 6), or to Aurora concerning its counterclaim of conversion of a Mercedes automobile (counterclaim 1). [5] However, the jury did award punitive damages to Bykofsky ($15,000) and to Aurora ($10,000). Aurora argues that the trial court erred by failing to enter a judgment notwithstanding the verdict for compensatory damages on its counterclaim since it incurred attorneys fees and related expenses ($1,708) in repossessing the Mercedes, as well as costs for a replacement car ($850). Bykofsky contends that the jury determined that Aurora was not entitled to compensatory damages on its counterclaim, and further, that Aurora is not entitled to additur. As to his own award of punitive damages on count 6, Bykofsky maintains that, under Dyer v. William S. Bergman & Assocs., Inc., 657 A.2d 1132 (D.C.1995), compensatory damages are not required to sustain punitive damages. Further, he contends, the award of twenty-three shares of Aurora stock supports the punitive damages. Aurora disagrees, citing Maxwell v. Gallagher, 709 A.2d 100 (D.C.1998), as indicating that shares of stock will not substitute for compensatory damages in determining whether an award of punitive damages may be sustained. In Maxwell, supra, we recognized, citing Dyer, supra, that there has been some uncertainty in our decisions over the years as to whether any award of compensatory damages is required before punitive damages may be imposed. Maxwell, supra, 709 A.2d at 103. Consequently, we articulated the principle on which this court decides the issue: [T]he principle we derive [from our past decisions] is that, before punitive damages may be awarded, there must be a basis in the record for an award of actual damages, even if nominal. Id. We reversed the trial court's award of punitive damages in Maxwell, a case involving shares of stock because, although the trial judge imposed nominal damages of $1.00 to accompany a $75,000 award of punitive damages, she nonetheless expressly found that appellees had proven no actual damages .... Id. at 105. Therefore, punitive damages could not be awarded. Id. Although Bykofsky argues that the award of twenty-three shares of Aurora stock is sufficient to support the requirement of actual damages, we have been unable to find any credible evidence in the record as to the value of the stock. [6] In addition, we see no evidence in the record of any loss suffered by Bykofsky due to Aurora's purported retention of his stock certificate. See Maxwell, supra, 709 A.2d at 104 n. 8. With regard to the counterclaim involving the alleged conversion of the Mercedes, Aurora presented to the jury the evidence it had as to its actual loss stemming from Bykofsky's retention of the car ( e.g., attorney's fees and replacement car costs). However, the jury, the fact finders in this matter, apparently determined that the evidence presented at trial did not support an award of compensatory damages with respect to either Bykofsky's or Aurora's conversion claim. [7] After the jury rendered its verdict, the trial judge first vacated the awards of punitive damages and then reinstated the awards, apparently without explanation. Since the trial judge's actions were taken prior to our decision in Maxwell, supra, the judge may well have been confused by some uncertainty in our decisions [regarding the compensatory/punitive damages issue] over the years. 709 A.2d at 103. Nonetheless, we see nothing in the record before us that requires reversal of the jury's conclusion that neither Aurora nor Bykofsky was entitled to compensatory damages on the respective conversion claims. Consequently, we vacate the award of punitive damages as to count 6 of Bykofsky's complaint, and count 1 of Aurora's counterclaim.