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Jacque v. Steenberg Homes, Inc. Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: A company intentionally trespassed to deliver a mobile home after being denied permission. The court upheld a large punitive damages award, even though the jury awarded only $1 in nominal damages, to protect the fundamental right to exclude others from private property.
Legal Significance: Establishes that in intentional trespass cases, punitive damages can be awarded without an award of compensatory damages. This protects a landowner’s absolute right to exclude by providing a meaningful deterrent against intentional invasions of property, even when no physical harm occurs.
Jacque v. Steenberg Homes, Inc. Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Defendant Steenberg Homes, Inc. sold a mobile home and determined the easiest delivery route was across the property of the plaintiffs, Harvey and Lois Jacque. The only alternative was a difficult private road covered in deep snow. Steenberg repeatedly requested permission to cross the Jacques’ land, but the Jacques adamantly refused each time, having previously lost land in an adverse possession action. Despite the explicit denial of permission, a Steenberg manager instructed employees to deliver the home across the Jacques’ field, stating, “I don’t give a — what [Mr. Jacque] said, just get the home in there any way you can.” Steenberg’s employees then plowed a path through the Jacques’ snow-covered land and delivered the home. The Jacques sued for intentional trespass. At trial, Steenberg conceded the trespass but argued that punitive damages could not be awarded because the Jacques had suffered no actual, compensatory harm. The jury awarded the Jacques $1 in nominal damages and $100,000 in punitive damages. The trial court and court of appeals set aside the punitive award, citing precedent that required an award of compensatory damages to support punitive damages.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: May a jury award punitive damages for an intentional trespass to land when it has awarded only nominal damages and no compensatory damages?
Yes. The court reversed the lower courts and reinstated the punitive damage Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cill
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
May a jury award punitive damages for an intentional trespass to land when it has awarded only nominal damages and no compensatory damages?
Conclusion
This case solidifies the principle that the right to exclude is a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi u
Legal Rule
In an action for intentional trespass to land, an award of nominal Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod
Legal Analysis
The court created an exception to the general rule that punitive damages Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- In a case of intentional trespass to land, punitive damages may