Jury Finds Montana Law Firm Liable for $1.5 Million in Malicious Prosecution Claims
KALISPELL, Mont., May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a five-day trial and five hours of deliberation, a Flathead County jury has found that a local law firm acted maliciously and recklessly in pursuing a bank fraud claim against a West Glacier-based mortgage broker. The jury awarded Deanna McAtee a total of $1.499 million in compensatory and punitive damages against the firm of Morrison & Frampton, PLLP for initiating fraudulent accusations against her more than a decade ago.
- The jury awarded Deanna McAtee a total of $1.499 million in compensatory and punitive damages against the firm of Morrison & Frampton, PLLP for initiating fraudulent accusations against her more than a decade ago.
- In that case, Morrison & Frampton represented the Whitefish Credit Union, which alleged that in 2008 Ms. McAtee had defaulted on a $523,000 loan to complete a residential construction project.
- When Ms. McAtee foreclosed on the original borrowers, as directed by the credit union, and obtained a loan from another source to complete construction, the law firm filed a civil complaint against her in 2011.
- In the verdict issued on the evening of April 28, the jury found that the law firm did not have probable cause to pursue the fraud claims and acted with malice in filing and maintaining those claims, based on the evidence.