60-3702.Same; trier of fact determines whether damages allowed;separate proceeding for determination of amount; considerations;limitations; maximum amount of award.(a) In any civil actionin which exemplary or punitive damages are recoverable, the trierof fact shall determine, concurrent with all other issues presented,whether such damages shall be allowed. If such damages are allowed, aseparate proceeding shall be conducted by the court to determine the amountof such damages to be awarded.
(b) At a proceeding to determine the amount of exemplary or punitivedamages to be awarded under this section, the court may consider:
(1) The likelihood at the time of the alleged misconduct that seriousharm would arise from the defendant's misconduct;
(2) the degree of the defendant's awareness of that likelihood;
(3) the profitability of the defendant's misconduct;
(4) the duration of the misconduct and any intentional concealment of it;
(5) the attitude and conduct of the defendant upon discovery of the misconduct;
(6) the financial condition of the defendant; and
(7) the total deterrent effect of other damages and punishment imposedupon the defendant as a result of the misconduct, including, but not limitedto, compensatory, exemplary and punitive damage awards to persons in situationssimilar to those of the claimant and the severity of the criminal penalties towhich the defendant has been or may be subjected.
At the conclusion of the proceeding, the court shall determine theamount of exemplary or punitive damages to be awarded and shall enterjudgment for that amount.
(c) In any civil action where claims for exemplary or punitive damages are included,the plaintiff shall have the burden of proving, by clear and convincingevidence in the initial phase of the trial, that the defendant acted towardthe plaintiff with willful conduct, wanton conduct, fraud or malice.
(d) In no case shall exemplary or punitive damages be assessed pursuantto this section against:
(1) A principal or employer for the acts of an agent or employee unlessthe questioned conduct was authorized or ratified by a person expresslyempowered to do so on behalf of the principal or employer; or
(2) an association, partnership or corporation for the acts of a member,partner or shareholder unless such association, partnership or corporationauthorized or ratified thequestioned conduct.
(e) Except as provided by subsection (f), no award of exemplary or punitivedamages pursuant to this section shall exceed the lesser of:
(1) The annual gross income earned by the defendant,as determined bythe court based upon the defendant's highest gross annual income earned for anyone of the five years immediately before the act for which such damages areawarded, unless the court determines such amount is clearly inadequate topenalize the defendant, then the court may award up to 50% of the net worth ofthe defendant, as determined by the court;or
(2) $5 million.
(f) In lieu of the limitation provided by subsection (e), if the courtfinds that the profitability of the defendant'smisconduct exceeds or is expected to exceed the limitation of subsection(e), the limitation on the amount of exemplary or punitive damages whichthe court may award shall be an amount equal to 1 1/2 times the amount ofprofit which the defendant gained or isexpected to gain as a result of the defendant's misconduct.
(g) As used in this section the terms defined in K.S.A. 60-3401,and amendments thereto, shall have the meaning provided by that statute.
(h) The provisions of this section shall apply only to an action basedupon a cause of action accruing on or after July 1, 1988.
History: L. 1988, ch. 209, § 3;L. 1992, ch. 307, § 3; July 1.
60-3702.Same; trier of fact determines whether damages allowed;separate proceeding for determination of amount; considerations;limitations; maximum amount of award.(a) In any civil actionin which exemplary or punitive damages are recoverable, the trierof fact shall determine, concurrent with all other issues presented,whether such damages shall be allowed. If such damages are allowed, aseparate proceeding shall be conducted by the court to determine the amountof such damages to be awarded.
(b) At a proceeding to determine the amount of exemplary or punitivedamages to be awarded under this section, the court may consider:
(1) The likelihood at the time of the alleged misconduct that seriousharm would arise from the defendant's misconduct;
(2) the degree of the defendant's awareness of that likelihood;
(3) the profitability of the defendant's misconduct;
(4) the duration of the misconduct and any intentional concealment of it;
(5) the attitude and conduct of the defendant upon discovery of the misconduct;
(6) the financial condition of the defendant; and
(7) the total deterrent effect of other damages and punishment imposedupon the defendant as a result of the misconduct, including, but not limitedto, compensatory, exemplary and punitive damage awards to persons in situationssimilar to those of the claimant and the severity of the criminal penalties towhich the defendant has been or may be subjected.
At the conclusion of the proceeding, the court shall determine theamount of exemplary or punitive damages to be awarded and shall enterjudgment for that amount.
(c) In any civil action where claims for exemplary or punitive damages are included,the plaintiff shall have the burden of proving, by clear and convincingevidence in the initial phase of the trial, that the defendant acted towardthe plaintiff with willful conduct, wanton conduct, fraud or malice.
(d) In no case shall exemplary or punitive damages be assessed pursuantto this section against:
(1) A principal or employer for the acts of an agent or employee unlessthe questioned conduct was authorized or ratified by a person expresslyempowered to do so on behalf of the principal or employer; or
(2) an association, partnership or corporation for the acts of a member,partner or shareholder unless such association, partnership or corporationauthorized or ratified thequestioned conduct.
(e) Except as provided by subsection (f), no award of exemplary or punitivedamages pursuant to this section shall exceed the lesser of:
(1) The annual gross income earned by the defendant,as determined bythe court based upon the defendant's highest gross annual income earned for anyone of the five years immediately before the act for which such damages areawarded, unless the court determines such amount is clearly inadequate topenalize the defendant, then the court may award up to 50% of the net worth ofthe defendant, as determined by the court;or
(2) $5 million.
(f) In lieu of the limitation provided by subsection (e), if the courtfinds that the profitability of the defendant'smisconduct exceeds or is expected to exceed the limitation of subsection(e), the limitation on the amount of exemplary or punitive damages whichthe court may award shall be an amount equal to 1 1/2 times the amount ofprofit which the defendant gained or isexpected to gain as a result of the defendant's misconduct.
(g) As used in this section the terms defined in K.S.A. 60-3401,and amendments thereto, shall have the meaning provided by that statute.
(h) The provisions of this section shall apply only to an action basedupon a cause of action accruing on or after July 1, 1988.
History: L. 1988, ch. 209, § 3;L. 1992, ch. 307, § 3; July 1.
60-3702.Same; trier of fact determines whether damages allowed;separate proceeding for determination of amount; considerations;limitations; maximum amount of award.(a) In any civil actionin which exemplary or punitive damages are recoverable, the trierof fact shall determine, concurrent with all other issues presented,whether such damages shall be allowed. If such damages are allowed, aseparate proceeding shall be conducted by the court to determine the amountof such damages to be awarded.
(b) At a proceeding to determine the amount of exemplary or punitivedamages to be awarded under this section, the court may consider:
(1) The likelihood at the time of the alleged misconduct that seriousharm would arise from the defendant's misconduct;
(2) the degree of the defendant's awareness of that likelihood;
(3) the profitability of the defendant's misconduct;
(4) the duration of the misconduct and any intentional concealment of it;
(5) the attitude and conduct of the defendant upon discovery of the misconduct;
(6) the financial condition of the defendant; and
(7) the total deterrent effect of other damages and punishment imposedupon the defendant as a result of the misconduct, including, but not limitedto, compensatory, exemplary and punitive damage awards to persons in situationssimilar to those of the claimant and the severity of the criminal penalties towhich the defendant has been or may be subjected.
At the conclusion of the proceeding, the court shall determine theamount of exemplary or punitive damages to be awarded and shall enterjudgment for that amount.
(c) In any civil action where claims for exemplary or punitive damages are included,the plaintiff shall have the burden of proving, by clear and convincingevidence in the initial phase of the trial, that the defendant acted towardthe plaintiff with willful conduct, wanton conduct, fraud or malice.
(d) In no case shall exemplary or punitive damages be assessed pursuantto this section against:
(1) A principal or employer for the acts of an agent or employee unlessthe questioned conduct was authorized or ratified by a person expresslyempowered to do so on behalf of the principal or employer; or
(2) an association, partnership or corporation for the acts of a member,partner or shareholder unless such association, partnership or corporationauthorized or ratified thequestioned conduct.
(e) Except as provided by subsection (f), no award of exemplary or punitivedamages pursuant to this section shall exceed the lesser of:
(1) The annual gross income earned by the defendant,as determined bythe court based upon the defendant's highest gross annual income earned for anyone of the five years immediately before the act for which such damages areawarded, unless the court determines such amount is clearly inadequate topenalize the defendant, then the court may award up to 50% of the net worth ofthe defendant, as determined by the court;or
(2) $5 million.
(f) In lieu of the limitation provided by subsection (e), if the courtfinds that the profitability of the defendant'smisconduct exceeds or is expected to exceed the limitation of subsection(e), the limitation on the amount of exemplary or punitive damages whichthe court may award shall be an amount equal to 1 1/2 times the amount ofprofit which the defendant gained or isexpected to gain as a result of the defendant's misconduct.
(g) As used in this section the terms defined in K.S.A. 60-3401,and amendments thereto, shall have the meaning provided by that statute.
(h) The provisions of this section shall apply only to an action basedupon a cause of action accruing on or after July 1, 1988.
History: L. 1988, ch. 209, § 3;L. 1992, ch. 307, § 3; July 1.
