Opinion ID: 778936
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Warren's Appeal

Text: 55 Warren also appeals, claiming that the trial court erred in amending the judgment to reduce the compensatory damage awards. 4 Warren asks that the original jury verdict be reinstated. This argument fails because the district court did not reduce the award per se. Rather, the court determined that instead of holding DYS and Prejean each liable for Warren's compensable injury, they are instead jointly and severally liable. As a result, Warren is awarded $210,000 jointly and severally from DYS and Prejean for lost wages and other damages on her claims of sex discrimination and retaliation, in addition to the award of attorney fees and punitive damages. We review this amended judgment for abuse of discretion. Grabinski, 136 F.3d at 572. 56 During closing arguments, Warren encouraged the jury to find $60,000 in actual damages and three times that amount, or $180,000 in other damages. On the claim against Prejean individually, Warren pointed out the punitive damage claim to the jury and explained that punitive awards are awarded for extraordinary misconduct such as that she claimed to have shown to the jury at trial. The jury, in fact, awarded Warren what she requested, and the district court correctly amended the judgment to reflect the appropriate amount due Warren. We find that the district court did not abuse its discretion and affirm the amended judgment. See Jackson v. City of St. Louis, 220 F.3d 894, 897 (8th Cir.2000).