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State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance Co. v. Campbell December 11, 2002 (01-1289) return to case listing Case Summary Curtis and Inez Campbell sued their automobile liability insurer, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., alleging bad faith in its failure to settle a lawsuit against them within the policy limits. After trial, a jury awarded the Campbells $2.6 million in compensatory damages and $145 million in punitive damages. The trial court ordered a remittitur of the damage awards to $1 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages. On appeal, the Utah Supreme Court reversed the order of remittitur for the punitive award, holding that the $145 million punitive damage award was not unconstitutionally excessive under the United States Supreme Court�s decision in 1996 in BMW v. Gore, 517 U.S. 559. The opinion of the Utah Supreme Court is found at 2001 WL 1246676. To see the opinion of the lower court, click here. PREDICTED OUTCOME ACTUAL OUTCOME Forecasting Model Expert One Expert Two Expert Three 5-4 to Reverse 6-3 to Reverse 5-4 to Reverse 8-1 to Reverse 6-3 to Reverse VOTING TO REVERSE Rehnquist O'Connor Scalia Kennedy Thomas Rehnquist Stevens O'Connor Kennedy Souter Breyer Stevens O'Connor Kennedy Souter Breyer Rehnquist Stevens O'Connor Scalia Kennedy Souter Thomas Breyer Rehnquist Stevens O'Connor Kennedy Souter Breyer VOTING TO AFFIRM Stevens Souter Ginsburg Breyer Scalia Thomas Ginsburg Rehnquist Scalia Thomas Ginsburg Ginsburg Scalia Thomas Ginsburg return to case listing