Additur

Additur

Additur Legal Definition

The power of the trial court to increase the damage award made by a jury. There is no additur in federal courts.

See also

The power of a judge to increase the amount of an inadequate… (Read more)

What does Additur mean in American Law?

The definition of Additur in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:

A jury comes in with a verdict for plaintiff, awarding a particular amount of money damages. If the trial judge sees no reason to overturn the jury’s verdict on liability, but considers the amount of damages awarded materially inaccurate, the judge may grant a new trial. But he may instead announce that he will grant a new trial unless the party benefited by the jury’s erroneous damage award will accept a different, more accurate one. This judicial power is known as “additur” if consent to a higher award is procured from the defendant, and is called remittitur ( ) if consent to a smaller award is wrenched from the plaintiff. In neither instance is consent of the other party also required.

Meaning of Additur in the U.S. Legal System

Definition of Additur published by the National Association for Court Management: An increase by a judge in the amount of damages awarded by a jury.

Meaning of Additur

Resources

See Also

  • Remittitur
  • Federal Civil Procedure
  • New Trial
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