The plaintiff title insurer brought an undefended motion for summary judgment against a disbarred lawyer and his law firm.
The defendant had acted for vendors in a real estate transaction and misappropriated the purchase funds, failing to pay municipal taxes or discharge existing mortgages.
The plaintiff paid $101,484.38 to clear title for the purchasers and sought to recover this amount plus $100,000 in punitive damages.
The court granted judgment for the compensatory damages and awarded $25,000 in punitive damages, finding the defendant's conduct struck at the heart of the trust necessary for real estate transactions.
