A Minnesota court only orders the defendant to pay punitive damages if a plaintiff can prove by clear and convincing evidence that a defendant deliberately disregarded the rights and safety of others. As the name suggests, punitive damages are a punishment for the defendant’s actions or inactions.
You generally can only recover punitive damages if a court first orders the defendant to pay compensatory damages. Thus, a second hearing is necessary, in the event you seek punitive damages. You must go through the first part to see if the court finds the defendant is liable for compensatory damages. In the second part of the trial, the court determines whether or not the defendant is liable for punitive damages.