Rhyne v. K-Mart Corp.

THOMAS, Judge.

The primary issue in this case is whether North Carolina’s General Assembly exceeded its constitutional authority in enacting a cap, or limit, on the award of punitive damages.

North Carolina General Statute § ID-25 became effective on 1 January 1996 and placed a cap on the amount of punitive damages that could be awarded at $250,000 or three times the compensatory damages, whichever is larger.

Here, plaintiffs Dan Rhyne (Mr. Rhyne) and Alice Rhyne (Mrs. Rhyne), husband and wife, received verdicts for compensatory damages in the amounts of $8,255 and $10,730, respectively, against *675…