A violation of House rules might have killed a bill that would have made it harder for plaintiffs to get evidence of a defendant’s net worth for an exemplary damages claim. But the Senate’s version still has life in the waning days of the session.
Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, explained during a May 11 debate that his bill turned a trial court into a gatekeeper for net worth evidence. He said a plaintiff would have to show that his exemplary damages claim had merit before a defendant would have to produce the evidence. If a court granted the discovery, the bill would mandate using the least intrusive method, noted King.
