A California State appeals court upheld a $ 28 million award in punitive damages to the family of Betty Bullock against Philip Morris. A Los Angeles jury had awarded $ 28 billion in punitive damages in 2002, in addition to 850,000 in compensation. The trial judge cut the punitive award to $ 28 million, or 33 times her compensation. Philip Morris argued that this was still much higher than the 9-to-1 ceiling set by the Supreme Court for punitive damages, but the Court-of-Appeal panel in Los Angeles said that 9-to-1 was not a rigid barrier
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