President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, announcing, that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious areas are, and henceforward shall be free..
Definition of punitive damages. : damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong.
Rationale for Punitive Damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish and to deter similar wrongful or repugnant conduct. In the car accident example above, suppose that Mark intentionally sideswiped Tomâs car after he thought that Tom cut him off on the highway.