Deep pockets is an important principle in tort law and refers to the principle that a plaintiff hopes to be able to recover damages from a party who has the ability to pay a court judgment. Recall that the primary purpose of tort law is to compensate an injured party for the damages that he or she has suffered. A party with deep pockets has the financial ability to pay in a tort case. Take the example of the newspaper delivery person who hits your car, causing significant property damage to your car and personal injury to you. You hope you can sue the newspaper that employed the delivery person, because the newspaper publisher probably has deep pockets, while the delivery person may not be able to pay any judgment or settlement.

• What is a frolic and detour ?
• What is vicarious liability?
• Are awards in tort cases taxable?
• What is the difference between a lump sum settlement and a structured settlement?
• Can states cap punitive damage awards?
• Are there limits to punitive damage awards?
• What factors does a court consider in determining the amount of punitive damages?
• What is the role of punitive damages in bifurcated tort cases?
• What are some examples of frivolous lawsuits?
• What was the McDonald’s hot coffee case?
• Why are punitive damage awards considered controversial?
• What types of damages are most common in tort cases?
• What is the duty to mitigate damages?
• Which states still do have contributory negligence?
• Why is comparative fault considered fairer than contributory negligence?
• Who determines the percentages of fault of the parties?
• What are the different forms of comparative negligence?
• What happens if both parties (plaintiff and defendant) are negligent?
• If you fall on a slippery floor in a store, can you sue for negligence?
• Where does the term good Samaritan come from?