4-23-14 supreme court reduces damage award

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court has reduced a $1 million damage award against a title insurance company in a Door County property dispute.  The case stems from a dispute over whether Robert and Judith Kimble had an easement granting them a route from their lakefront property to a highway. They failed to sell the land in 2008 because they couldn't resolve the dispute.

They sued their title insurance company, First American, in 2009 alleging the company failed to defend the title. They ultimately sold their interest in the title to adjoining property owners John and Jane Stevenson, who won a $1.03 million award against the company.  The Supreme Court ruled 4-2 on Tuesday that the award was excessive and reduced it to $239,738.