9th Circuit Imposes 3 to 1 Ratio on Punitive Damages Award

On Friday, the Ninth Circuit issued its opinion in Southern Union v. Irvin (pdf).  The court previously had vacated and remanded the original punitive award, which was 153 times the compensatories.   On remand, the trial court reduced the punitive damages award to $4 million, and the defendant appealed again.   Notably, this time, the Ninth Circuit wasn’t messing around – no remand; it decided that 3 to 1 was the right ratio and reduced the punitive damages award to just over $1.8 million.   

Lisa Baird at Life Sciences Legal Update provides a concise summary of the decision. 

– SBS