Murphy v. Hobbs
Colorado Supreme Court
5 P. 119 (Colo. 1884)
Relevant factsFree
The plaintiff won a civil verdict for malicious prosecution and false imprisonment after the trial judge instructed the jury it could award punitive damages 'as a punishment to defendant,' and the jury did so; the defendant appealed, challenging the propriety of that punitive-damages instruction.
IssueFree
Whether punitive damages are permitted in civil actions.