Court Opinion

ID: 9535815
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 06:44:39.624711+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:20.782129
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE WELCH, concurring in part and dissenting in part: As the majority correctly observes, several Illinois cases have set forth standards to determine whether punitive damages should be granted. (Moore v. Remington Arms Co. (1981), 100 Ill. App. 3d 1102, 427 N.E.2d 608; Kelsay v. Motorola, Inc. (1978), 74 Ill. 2d 172, 384 N.E.2d 353; Mattyasovszky v. West Towns Bus Co. (1975), 61 Ill. 2d 31, 330 N.E.2d 509; Moore v. Jewel Tea Co. (1969), 116 Ill. App. 2d 109, 253 N.E.2d 636, aff'd (1970), 46 Ill. 2d 288, 263 N.E.2d 103.) However, neither the Illinois Supreme Court nor the General Assembly has provided any standard by which the amount of a punitive damage award may be judged. The majority’s opinion also fails to establish meaningful rules for the guidance of other reviewing courts facing the same issue. It is concluded simply that $650,000 in punitive damages would be appropriate in this case. Without knowing what guidelines were used to reach this conclusion, I am unable to agree with it. The jury originally awarded $15,000,000 in punitive damages, and the trial judge, who heard the evidence presented, reduced that award to $7,500,000. In the absence of a rationale or legal doctrine by which we, as a reviewing court, can characterize the action of the trial court as improper, I would treat the judgment as based upon that evidence and affirm the award of punitive damages as entered by the court. In all other respects, I concur with the opinion of the majority.