Lawyers are hopeful that last week's decision by the U.S.Supreme Court to review an Oregon punitive damage award will helpreduce even further the soaring cost of civil litigation toinsurers. The court is expected to hear oral arguments in the casein November or December.
The case is being reviewed against the background of two new,more conservative judges on the top court and passage last year inCongress of the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005–designed toreduce abuses by helping defendants move cases to the federal courtsystem.
Three years ago, in a case involving State Farm, the SupremeCourt set constitutional boundaries on the ratio courts can use toreward punitive damages as against compensatory damages.
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