Critics of the civil justice system have argued for years that reform is needed because of runaway punitive damage verdicts by juries.

"Now there's a few people who're saying all over again that the church shouldn't have paid those boys" the millions of dollars in damage verdicts and settlements that the case here cost the Diocese of Lafayette.

Mr. Speake's case is regarded as a "threshold verdict" because it created the opportunity for punitive damage verdicts against Johns-Manville.

As of the last overturned damage verdict, he was on the hook for $1.92 million.

An additional 35 white firefighters have claims pending against the city, which is appealing the damage verdicts.

Colorado limits damage verdicts under that law to $3,500.

Last year The Times joined in a brief that argued that a $10 million punitive damage verdict against another news medium should be set aside.

More recently, his client Philip Morris was on the losing end of the largest punitive damage verdict in history: $145 billion.

In 1985 a Texas jury, at the behest of Pennzoil, issued the largest damage verdict in American history against Texaco.

The law, signed by Gov. Jim Hunt, places a $25 million cap on the amount North Carolina-based companies must post as bond in any state in appealing a punitive damage verdict.