November 27, 2011

Punitive damages awarded for failure to act to prevent sexual abuse of students

Punitive damages awarded for failure to act to prevent sexual abuse of students G.G. v Grindle, U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Docket 10-3506

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed an award of compensatory and punitive damages based on a jury finding a school administrator failed to prevent the sexual abuse of several female students by their teacher.

The teacher had pled guilty to multiple counts of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

The award for damages, said the court, was justified in view of the administrator’s failure to act, noting that the administrator advanced “no basis for invalidating the jury’s determination that her conduct justified the imposition of punitive damages.”

The decision is posted on the Internet at:

http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca7/10-3506/10-3506-2011-11-23-opinion-2011-11-23.html

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