News Notes: Supreme Court Rules On Damages Attorneys’ Fees

In a series of recent rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court has clarified limits on the damages claimants can recover in employment discrimination cases and other lawsuits. The court paved the way for bigger verdicts by ruling that “front pay”—which compensates a victim of workplace harassment or bias until they find another comparable job—isn’t subject to the $300,000 statutory cap under federal civil rights laws. In another decision, the high court made it easier for appeals courts to overturn excessive punitive damage awards by juries, ruling that an appeals court must conduct its own full review regarding the propriety and amount of punitive damage. In a third case, the court held that claimants who sue in federal court can recover attorneys’ fees only if they were awarded relief by the court, not if they prevailed through a private settlement.