What is a remittitur?

A remittitur is a legal document issued by a court that reduces the amount of an award given to a plaintiff in a civil lawsuit. In California, if a jury awards an excessive amount to a plaintiff, the judge may issue a remittitur, which reduces the award, typically to an amount they believe to be reasonable. This amount can be accepted by the plaintiff or rejected, in which case the case may go to a new trial in front of a new jury. The acceptance of a remittitur allows the plaintiff to receive the reduced amount without going through the cost and time of a new trial. It is important to understand that the court only has authority to issue the remittitur in situations where the awarded amount is excessive. The court is not authorized to reduce the amount if the award is deemed too low or unjustified. Furthermore, the court is not to substitute its opinion for that of the jury unless the award is clearly excessive.

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