Section 40 Punitive Damages

• Library: Prof Liability 2005

In Weaver v. African Methodist Episcopal Church, 54 S.W.3d 575, 589 (Mo. App. W.D. 2001), the battery count against Elder Williams for grabbing the plaintiff’s breasts resulted in a punitive damages award of $4 million. It should be noted that this involved the battery claim and not the Gibson v. Brewer, 952 S.W.2d 239 (Mo. banc 1997), claim, which was reversed. The court noted that the degree of reprehensibility of the conduct was the most important indicator of the reasonableness of...