October 2012 archive

Second Circuit reduces punitive damages in a Police Brutality case

On October 3, 2012, in Payne vs. Jones, the Second Circuit concluded that a $300,000 punitive damage award was excessive, and remanded for a new trial on punitive damages unless the Plaintiff agrees to accept a reduced award of $100,000. The compensatory damages, which remained intact, totaled $60,000, indicating a five to one ratio before …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/10/second-circuit-reduces-punitive-damages-in-a-police-brutality-case/

First payout of SEC whistleblower program also provides volume of complaints received

The SEC announced its first payout from its new whistleblower program under the Dodd-Frank Act to an unidentified person who helped stop a multi-million dollar financial fraud. The reward was $50,000, representing 30% of the amount collected in the SEC enforcement action. 30% is the maximum percentage payout allowed by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act that …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/10/first-payout-of-sec-whistleblower-program-also-provides-volume-of-complaints-received/

Investing in College: A Lesson in Evaluating Investment Returns

The common practice of investing in a university education to receive lifelong returns of larger salaries deserves additional scrutiny in the current environment of rising tuition, ballooning student-debt, and high unemployment among college grads. Smart Money attempted to provide guidance, but botched the return on investment calculation. The publication recently scored the country’s 50 most expensive universities …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/10/investing-in-college-a-lesson-in-evaluating-investment-returns/

Posner Opinion Provides Worthwhile Damage Guidance

In re: Apple vs. Motorola, the parties sued each other for patent infringement involving smartphones. Seventh Circuit Judge Richard Posner, sitting by designation, threw out all damage witnesses for both parties on Daubert motions. Then, since both parties lacked damages testimony, he dismissed both cases with prejudice. Interestingly, Judge Posner did not allow either party …

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Permanent link to this article: https://betweenthenumbers.net/2012/10/posner-opinion-provides-worthwhile-damage-guidance/