By: Derek Hawkins//November 30, 2016//
WI Court of Appeals – District III
Case Name: Bernard Seidling v. Dori Stepan
Case No.: 2015AP2219
Officials: Stark, P.J., Hruz and Seidl, JJ.
Focus: Damages – Wisconsin Consumer Act
Bernard Seidling appeals an order awarding Dori Stepan compensatory damages, punitive damages, and actual attorney fees and costs on her counterclaim alleging abuse of process and Wisconsin Consumer Act violations. Seidling argues: (1) the circuit court erred by declining to enforce a settlement agreement between the parties; (2) the court erred by granting Stepan default judgment as a sanction for Seidling’s failure to appear at a hearing; (3) the court erroneously exercised its discretion by awarding Stepan attorney fees and costs in the amount of $97,735.51 as compensatory damages; (4) the court erroneously exercised its discretion with respect to the amount of punitive damages; and (5) the court erred by awarding Stepan actual attorney fees and costs. We reject each of these arguments and therefore affirm in part.