Kemezy v. Peters
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
79 F.3d 33 (7th Cir. 1996)
Relevant factsFree
Kemezy (plaintiff) sued Peters (defendant), a police officer moonlighting as a security guard, claiming Peters wantonly beat him during an altercation at a bowling alley. A jury awarded Kemezy $10,000 in compensatory damages and $20,000 in punitive damages; Peters appealed the punitive award, arguing Kemezy failed to introduce evidence of Peters's net worth to help the jury properly calibrate the amount.
IssueFree
Whether, in establishing grounds for an award of punitive damages, a plaintiff bears the burden of introducing evidence of the defendant's net worth to help the jury justly evaluate damages.