Greetings from Greenville, S.C.!
On June 14, 2011, the South Carolina Fairness in Civil Justice Act of 2011 was signed into law. The Act will become effective on January 1, 2012, making significant changes to the law concerning punitive damage awards in South Carolina.
If the jury awards punitive damages, the trial court must review the jury’s decision, considering all relevant evidence including the 11 aforementioned factors. In an action with multiple defendants, a punitive damages award must be specific to each defendant, and each defendant is liable only for the amount of the award made against that defendant.