Supreme Court Speaks Again on Punitive Damages

On June 25, the U.S. Supreme Court decided <i>Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker</i>, a ruling likely to fortify the view that an award of punitive damages should not exceed the amount of the compensatory award. To be sure, some will argue that there are, may be, or ought to be, exceptions; some will argue that the Court was only deciding federal common law in a maritime case and not the limits of state common law; and some may say there is still support for accepting punitive awards that exceed a 1:1 ratio.

29 minute read August 27, 2008 at 02:12 PM
By
ALM Staff and Law Journal Newsletters
Supreme Court Speaks Again on Punitive Damages

On June 25, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker, No. 07-219 (U.S. Sup. Ct. June 25, 2008), a ruling likely to fortify the view that an award of punitive damages should not exceed the amount of the compensatory award.

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