Should Racial Differences in Life Span Factor in Damage in Torts Awards?!

[dssinc]

I just read a piece in The Wall Street Journal Law Blog and thought it was pretty interesting.  The judge in the case cited scholarship by a University of Maine Law professor which uncovered and argued against the practice of using race-based actuarial calculations to help determine torts awards.  (Damages in Tort Litigation: Thoughts on Race and Remedies", 1865-2007)  I was kind of shocked that this has apparently standard practice still continues.  Still got a long way to go!

Article: http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/10/15/should-racial-differences-in-life-span-factor-in-damage-calculations/trackback/

Original Maine Law scholarship: http://mainelaw.maine.edu/faculty/pdf/wriggins/27reviewoflitigation.pdf