Shortly before a federal jury in Atlanta decided that Marietta-based WellStar Health System had terminated a longtime employee because of her age, jurors had a question for the judge: “Can we award the plaintiff with more money than what was requested?”

Twenty minutes later, after being told it must adhere to U.S. District Judge William Duffey Jr.’s instructions capping damages, the jury gave Mary Godwin $186,920.42—the maximum it could award her, down to the penny.