Monday, January 17, 2011

Tort Reform bill in Wisconsin may cap punitive damages

According to a recent report, the Wisconsin Senate judiciary committee recently voted 3-2 to cap punitive damages at $200,000 or twice the amount of compensatory damages, whichever is greater. Current state law does not lay out any caps on punitive damages. The committee voted to approve the bill as a whole, clearing the way for a vote before the full Senate. The bill is a centerpiece of what Republican Gov. Scott Walker has called his jobs creation agenda. Doesn't it sound strange to you to say that to create jobs it is a good idea to eliminate incentives for companies to act responsibly? For a comment on how tort reform has not resulted in more jobs in one state go here. Go here for more.

No comments: