Political Quotes

“we are discussing here several amendments dealing with the concept of punitive damages in the court systems of the United States, a healthy discussion, and it is one that I do not believe has been previously debated on the floor of the Senate in spite of the invitation to do so extended by the Supreme Court of the United States. Before we get into any of the details, I believe it important for Members and for the public to understand the peculiar nature of punitive damages. Punitive damages by the very title are a form of punishment imposed by juries on defendants in civil litigation. All other forms of punishment under our judicial system come as a result of criminal trials, in which case defendants have a wide range of constitutional protections and very particularly have the benefit of a limitation on punishments--a series of sentences set out by statutes either in specific terms or within ranges, together with the proposition that their guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. With respect to punitive damages, not only is the standard of proof lower but there are literally no limits on the amount of punishment, the fines, the damages, which can be imposed.…”