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.
Best Answer: Punitive means punishment To get punitive damages, you normally must prove that what the person did was morally reprehensible (maybe even criminal), not just careless (negligent). Punitive damages are hard to get in any case.f course, You can sue for any amount of money, large (up to your states max in small claims) or small. Punitive damages are also very hard to prove in small claims. However it would cost about $50 to file exclusive of your time and mileage. smedrik Â· 7 years ago.