Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker: Will the 1:1 Punitive Damages Ratio in Maritime Law Become the Paradigm for a Due Process Evaluation of Punitive Awards?

This article discusses the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker, 128 S. Ct. 2605 (2008). In Exxon, the Supreme Court established a 1:1 ratio between punitive and compensatory damages under federal maritime law, and implications for applying the 1:1 ratio to limit punitive damages in state court actions. Originally published in the International Association of Defense Counsel’s Drug, Device and Biotech Committee Newsletter for September 2008. Reprinted with permission of IADC.