Harrison Ex Rel. Harrison v. Board of Regents

{30} I respectfully dissent in this case and view the issue very narrowly. Regents do not contest the position that the district court can properly impose compensatory sanctions against a governmental entity as part of its inherent authority. Nor do they appeal the award of the compensatory sanction imposed by the district court. Instead, Regents ask this Court to determine as a matter of first impression whether the district court has the right to exercise its inherent legal authority to impose a purely punitive sanction against a governmental entity for improper conduct during a legal…