{"id":26919,"date":"2022-09-05T03:28:18","date_gmt":"2022-09-05T03:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/amjur\/damages-sect-559.html"},"modified":"2022-08-25T11:48:05","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T11:48:05","slug":"damages-sect-559","status":"publish","type":"amjur","link":"https:\/\/reference.findlaw.com\/amjur\/damages-sect-559.html","title":{"rendered":"Am Jur 2d – Damages \u00a7 559"},"content":{"rendered":"
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V. Exemplary or Punitive Damages, A. In General, \u00a7 559 – Purposes; punishment and deterrence<\/h2>\n

The view has been followed that punitive damages are awarded for the sake of example[1<\/a>] and to punish the defendant,[2<\/a>] thereby deterring others from similar behavior.[3<\/a>] Indeed, courts have stated that the primary purpose of a punitive award is to deter misconduct or improper conduct.[4<\/a>] However, punitive damages must not be so oppressive or so large as to shock the sense of fair-minded persons.[5<\/a>] The purpose of punitive damages is not served by financially destroying a defendant.[6<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Punitive damages have been said to be awarded to punish the defendant and deter or warn others from the same conduct[7<\/a>] or to punish or deter conduct deemed wrongful when the availability of a cause of action and compensatory damages are considered an insufficient punishment or deterrence.[8<\/a>] Many holdings also expressly state that the purpose of punitive damages is to deter the defendant him- or herself, as well as others, from repeating the wrongful act in the future.[9<\/a>] Thus, exemplary damages have been said to serve a threefold purpose: <\/p>\n