Supreme Court of California

In a fraud action, a $1.7 million punitive damages award, measured against a $5000 compensatory damages award, exceeds the federal due process limitations outlined in recent United States Supreme Court decisions.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/16/2005
• Published 06/16/2005

Judges

• WERDEGAR, J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Knapp Petersen & Clarke, André E. Jardini, Kevin J. Stack and Mitchell B. Ludwig, Glendale, for Plaintiff and Appellant., Todd A. Smith;  Jeffrey R. White;  Smoger and Associates and Gerson H. Smoger, Oakland, for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant., Law Office of Daniel U. Smith, Daniel U. Smith, Kentfield, and Ted Pelletier for Consumer Attorneys of California as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant., Amy Bach, Mill Valley;  Pillsbury & Levinson, Arnold R. Levinson, San Francisco;  Esner & Chang, Stuart B. Esner, Los Angeles, and Andrew N. Chang, Oakland, for United Policyholders as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant., Deborah J. La Fetra, Sacramento, for Pacific Legal Foundation as Amicus Curiae.


• For Appellees:
  
• Epport & Richman, Epport, Richman & Robbins, Steven N. Richman and Lawrence A. Abelson, Los Angeles, for Defendant and Appellant., Susan Liebeler;  Daniel J. Popeo and David Price for Washington Legal Foundation as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Appellant., Horvitz & Levy, Lisa Perrochet and Curt Cutting, Encino, for the California Chamber of Commerce, the American Chemistry Council, the National Association of Manufacturers, Unocal Corp. and American International Companies as Amici Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Appellant., Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, Andrew L. Frey, Evan M. Tager, Donald M. Falk, Palo Alto;  National Chamber Litigation Center and Robin S. Conrad for The Chamber of Commerce of the United States as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Appellant., Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland, Robert A. Olson, Los Angeles, and Feris M. Greenberger for Farmers Insurance Exchange, Truck Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Mid-Century Insurance Company as Amici Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Appellant., Hugh F. Young, Jr.;  Martin, Bischoff, Templeton, Langlset & Hoffman, Jonathan M. Hoffman;  Drinker Biddle & Reath and Alan Lazarus, San Francisco, for The Product Liability Advisory Council, Inc., as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Appellant.