Philip Morris USA v. Williams: U.S. Supreme Court Nixes Punitive Damages Awards that Punish a Defendant for Harm to Nonparties

In the first major decision on punitive damages since the 2003 State Farm v. Campbell decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has seized another opportunity to reign in punitive damages awards. In Philip Morris USA v. Williams, it held that punitive damages awards that are based in part on a jury's desire to punish a defendant for harm to nonparties constitute a taking of property from the defendant without due process of law.