California Court of Appeal

In legal malpractice actions, permitting a jury to impose punitive damages on a negligent defendant by restyling them as compensatory "lost punitive damages" is unjust and contrary to public policy.

Appellate Information

• Decided 03/14/2001
• Published 03/14/2001

Judges

• O'ROURKE, J.

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
•  Higgs, Fletcher & Mack, John Morris;  Ross, Dixon & Bell, Jon R. Williams;  Frantz & Geraci, James P. Frantz and Alan L. Geraci, San Diego, for Plaintiff and Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Horvitz & Levy, Peter Abrahams, Julie L. Woods, L. Rachel Lerman Helyar, Encino;  Lewis, D'Amato, Brisbois & Bisgaard, Alan E. Greenberg, Jeffrey A. Miller and Douglas R. Reynolds, San Diego, for Defendant and Appellant.