[net.legal] Silkwood

cwc@mhuxd.UUCP (Chip Christ) (01/16/84)

My, my, Supreme Court Justices angry because someone tried to take
advantage of a legal technicality?  How many murders, rapists, theves,
etc., have gone waltzing off into the sunset because of technicalities
blessed by the Court?  Could the Justices be so human as to have a
double-standard?

custead@sask.UUCP (01/17/84)

To (attempt to) clarify things a bit (if such is possible on the net):

Lawyers for Kerr-McGee argued that the law limiting the liability
of nuclear power plants meant that PUNITIVE damages could not be
awarded against the company.  The supreme court disagreed, ruling
that a court could award punitive damages in this case.
The supreme court was NOT voting to award any specific amount
to the Silkwood children.  That is entirely up to the lower court.