treble damages
Noun (Legal term): - Three times the amount that a court would normally find the injured party entitled to: A specific type of monetary award, known as "treble damages," is a legal remedy where the court orders the defendant to pay the plaintiff three times the amount of actual damages (the proven financial loss). This is typically mandated by statute as a punitive measure for certain wrongful acts.
Treble damages are a statutory remedy, not a standard common law one. They are awarded in specific types of cases defined by law, often to punish and deter willful or malicious misconduct, such as antitrust violations, racketeering (RICO), or certain cases of fraud. - Example: "The jury found the company guilty of price-fixing, and the judge awarded treble damages to the affected consumers." - Example: "Under the statute, a successful plaintiff in an antitrust lawsuit is automatically entitled to treble damages."
- "To award treble damages": The standard verb collocation for a court granting this remedy.
- Example: "The court has the authority to award treble damages for willful patent infringement."
- "Subject to treble damages": Describes a party or action that, if found liable, could result in this penalty.
- Example: "Companies engaging in deceptive trade practices may be subject to treble damages."
- Punitive damages / Exemplary damages (n): Damages awarded to punish the defendant for outrageous conduct and to deter similar future conduct. Treble damages are a specific, statutorily-defined form of punitive damages.
- Statutory damages (n): Damages whose amount is stipulated within the statute itself, which may be a fixed sum or, as in this case, a multiple of actual damages.
- Actual damages / Compensatory damages (n): The foundational amount awarded to compensate the plaintiff for their proven, direct financial loss. Treble damages are calculated as three times this amount.
- Triple damages: A direct synonym, though "treble damages" is the more common legal term.
- "Treble damages provision": Refers to the specific clause within a statute that authorizes this award.
- Example: "The lawsuit was filed under the state's consumer protection act, which contains a treble damages provision."
- three times the amount that a court would normally find the injured party entitled to