Civil Actions - Punitive Damage Awards - Surcharge

Summary

The bill requires a plaintiff to prove a defendant acted with gross negligence by clear and convincing evidence before punitive damages can be awarded. If such damages are granted, the State Court Administrator must collect a surcharge equal to half of the punitive award and deposit it into the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund. The surcharge is paid by the defendant, is not disclosed to the jury, and does not change the amount the plaintiff receives.

AI-generated summary — may be incomplete or inaccurate. Verify against the official bill text.

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