Supreme Court Will Hear Case on High Punitive Damages

The Supreme Court on Tuesday signaled its return to the thorny issue of high punitive damages, agreeing to review a $79.5 million verdict against Philip Morris USA for the death of a single Oregon smoker. The Court added the case to its docket for the fall, responding to pleas by the business community for clearer guidance on when punitive damages are excessive. In its sole ruling Tuesday, the Court narrowed First Amendment protections for government-employee whistleblowers.

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