Substantive Due Process

What is the principle upheld in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Bill Cosby regarding prosecutorial promises?

When a prosecutor makes an unconditional promise of non-prosecution and the defendant relies on that guarantee, it must be enforced to uphold fundamental fairness in the criminal justice system.

What are the key components of Substantive Due Process as discussed in the lecture?

It involves guaranteeing fundamental fairness and may lead to overturning guilty verdicts if due process is violated.

What types of damages are discussed in relation to civil lawsuits?

Compensatory (actual) damages and punitive damages.

What was the outcome of the BMW v. Gore case concerning punitive damages?

The Alabama Supreme Court reduced punitive damages from $4 million to $2 million on substantive due process grounds.

What did the jury find as actual damages in the BMW v. Gore case?

$4,000, representing a 10% diminution of the car's value.

What rule did the lecture mention regarding punitive damages?

The Single Digit multiplier rule states that punitive damages should be a multiplier of less than 10 times (9.9x) the compensatory damage awards.

What was the transport damage cost for Gore's BMW due to acid rain?

$601.37, which was 1.5% of the car's value.

In the context of due process, what issue arises with punitive damages?

The substantive due process problem leads to the procedural due process rule regarding appropriate punitive damage awards.