Urging the intermediate appellate court to vacate the judgment below, NCLC explained that the $850 million punitive damages award in this case bore no relation to the purposes served by punitive damages and therefore violated due process. In addition, NCLC challenged the instructions given to the jury, arguing that the court failed to adequately guide the jury on the proper method for awarding punitive damages. NCLC has continued its efforts to ensure that judges and juries across the country have a clear understanding of the standard articulated in the Supreme Court’s decision in State Farm v. Campbell.
