Reichardt

Plaintiffs own a house in Monterey County adjacent to a vacant lot owned by defendant. Defendant’s lot is benefited by a deeded nonexclusive easement over plaintiffs’ property for access purposes. Plaintiffs are required to keep the easement “clear” in order to ensure “proper access” for defendant. After years of dispute about the easement, plaintiffs obtained a judgment extinguishing defendant’s easement, enjoining defendant from interfering with plaintiffs’ enjoyment of their property and awarding plaintiffs compensatory and punitive damages based on causes of action for nuisance, violation of conditions, covenants and restrictions (hereafter CC&R’s) applicable to defendant’s property and interference with contract or prospective economic advantage. Defendant’s appeal challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support (1) the extinguishment of his easement, (2) the court’s finding that he was liable to plaintiffs for interference with contract or prospective economic advantage, (3) nuisance liability, (4) damages for violation of the CC&R’s and (5) damages for emotional distress. Defendant also claims that the punitive damages award was improper because plaintiffs…