It centers around a Charles M. Russell statue; what could be more quintessentailly Western. Real or Fake? The outcome of this case is a $1 Million verdict against the attorneys and $ 9 Million in Punitive damages. Hinshaw reports:
"Steve Morton and the international law firm that represented him had very strong, credible grounds to believe that famed artist Charles M. Russell’s signature on a painting that Morton owned was a forgery. But, represented by an “of counsel” attorney of the law firm, Morton nonetheless sued W. Steve Seltzer, an art authenticator, who had refused to recant his professional opinion that the painting was not an authentic painting by Russell. The underlying case was dismissed for lack of expert support for Morton’s position, Morton acknowledged that he could not prevail, and the law firm representing him was found to have committed discovery abuses by withholding key evidence. Seltzer subsequently sued Morton and his law firm for malicious prosecution. The Montana Supreme Court upheld a trial court judgment for $1.1 million in compensatory damages and $9.9 million in punitive damages against the firm.