Opinion ID: 783516
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Difference Between Remedy and Civil Penalties in Comparable Cases

Text: 49 The final Gore factor compares the punitive damages award with the civil and criminal penalties for comparable misconduct. Gore, 517 U.S. at 583, 116 S.Ct. 1589. The rationale for this consideration is that, if the penalties for comparable misconduct are much less than a punitive damages award, the tortfeasor lacked fair notice that the wrongful conduct could entail a sizable punitive damages award. Lee, 101 F.3d at 811. 50 The most relevant crime in New York would likely be assault in the third degree, which is a class A misdemeanor. N.Y. Pen. L. § 120.00 (A person is guilty of assault in the third degree when: 1. With intent to cause physical injury to another person, he causes such injury to such person.... Assault in the degree is a class A misdemeanor.). A class A misdemeanor carries a maximum sentence of one year, id. at § 70.15[1], and a maximum penalty of one thousand dollars, id. at § 80.05[1]. While a year's imprisonment is undoubtedly a substantial punishment, a maximum fine of $1,000 gives little warning that the action could result in a $1.275 million punitive damages award. See Lee, 101 F.3d at 811. 51 As we noted in Lee, however, criminal penalties understate the notice when the misconduct is committed by a police officer. Lee, 101 F.3d at 811. We assumed in Lee that [the defendant officer's] training as a police officer gave him notice as to the gravity of misconduct under color of his official authority, as well as notice that such misconduct could hinder his career. Id. Still, in Lee the court concluded that this guidepost weighed in favor of finding the $200,000 punitive damages award to be excessive. The court explained that, notwithstanding the officer's notice as to the gravity of his actions, nothing could conceivably have prepared him for a punitive damage award amounting to the sacrifice of the better part of a policeman's after-tax pay for a decade. Id.