Opinion ID: 202642
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Jury Instructions on Punitive Damages

Text: 17 The court also committed no error in instructing the jurors that they could consider Pagán's financial resources, in her personal capacity, in fixing the amount of punitive damages. The plaintiff's argument is that this instruction was misleading because it was possible that Puerto Rico would indemnify the defendant under a statute commonly referred to as Law 9. See P.R. Laws Ann. tit. 32, §§ 3085-3092. 18 It was entirely proper to instruct the jury that it could consider the defendant's financial worth in assessing punitive damages. See City of Newport v. Fact Concerts, Inc., 453 U.S. 247, 269, 101 S.Ct. 2748, 69 L.Ed.2d 616 (1981); see also 4 L. Sand et al., Modern Federal Jury Instructions, Instruction 77-5 & n. 21 (collecting cases). 19 Additionally, here the court correctly rejected plaintiff's argument on the ground that indemnity under Law 9 is neither required nor always available. Indeed, the Commonwealth is not required to pay indemnity when there is a punitive damages award or judgment. See Ortiz-Feliciano v. Toledo-Davila, 175 F.3d 37, 39 (1st Cir.1999); id. at 40 n. 1 (discussing the narrow circumstances, inapplicable here, in which Law 9 says it requires indemnification); Ortiz Feliciano v. Estado Libre Asociado de P.R., 158 P.R. Dec. 62, 72 (P.R.2002) (per curiam) (stating that Law 9 gives the Secretary of Justice discretion to indemnify officials); see also P.R. Laws Ann. tit. 32, § 3085 (stating that a Commonwealth employee  may request the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico . . . to subsequently assume the payment of any judgment that may be entered against his person (emphasis added)); id. § 3087 (stating that the Secretary of Justice shall determine whether it is in order to pay the full judgment imposed). Further, indemnification is not allowed at all where there is inexcusable negligence or certain other conditions. Ortiz-Feliciano, 175 F.3d at 40 n. 1; see also P.R. Laws Ann. tit. 32, § 3088.