INITIATIVE MEASURE NO. 10
SPONSOR: Thomas Slough, P.O. Box 13987, Jackson, MS 39236-3987;
601-352-7867
SUBJECT MATTER: Punitive Damages
BALLOT TITLE: Should the Mississippi Constitution limit punitive damages
awards to $250,000.00 or five times the economic damages, whichever is greater?
BALLOT SUMMARY: Passage of this amendment would: limit the amount of
punitive damages that may be awarded in a case to the greater of $250,000.00 or
five times the economic damages; require actual malice, gross negligence or
actual fraud be proven beyond a reasonable doubt; prohibit punitive damages
awards where the activity or product causing the economic damages was in
compliance with federal or state regulatory laws; and, establish certain
procedures therefor.
ORIGINAL FILING: April 24, 1998
STATUS: Expired
Initiative Information
The official ballot title and ballot summary for an initiative measure are
prepared by the Mississippi Attorney General's Office. Initiative petitions are
valid for one year. According to Mississippi law, for an initiative petition to
be sufficient a minimum of 91,673 certified signatures must be gathered; with at
least 18,355 certified signatures from each of the five congressional districts.
The number of signatures required represents 12% of the total number of votes
cast for Governor in the last gubernatorial general election. All signatures on
the petition must be certified by county Circuit Clerks as those of registered
Mississippi voters.
For more information on the initiative process in Mississippi, consult the
Mississippi Constitution of 1890, Section 273; and Miss. Code Ann., Sections
23-17-1 through 23-17-61 (1972).