July 27, 2010
Illinois Supreme Court upholds remittur of punitive damages award
In the case of Slovinski v. Elliot, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the Appellate Court’s decision to reduce a punitive damages award from $1 million to $81,600 (the same amount as the compensatory damage award given by the trial court after the entry of a default judgment in a defamation lawsuit).
The original jury verdict was for Plaintiff in the amount of $81,600 in damages for emotional distress and $2 million in punitive damages. The circuit court of Cook County remitted the punitive damage award to $1 million. On appeal, the appellate court affirmed the default judgment and the award for emotional damage but remitted the punitive damage award further, to $81,600. On appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court, the plaintiff challenged only the appellate court's judgment remitting the punitive damage award.
The Illinois Supreme Court opinion can be found here