California Court of Appeal Issues Significant Decision on Constitutionality of Punitive Damage Awards

The Fourth Appellate District recently certified for publication a significant decision addressing the

constitutionality of punitive damages awards under the Due Process Clause, Jet Source Charter, Inc. v. Doherty. The Court of Appeal held that, in cases involving economic damages only, and where the plaintiff is not particularly vulnerable, punitive damages should generally not exceed the

amount of compensatory damages awarded.