Exemplary damages cannot be awarded for which of the following?

Exemplary damages cannot be awarded for which of the following?

• A. Defamation
• B. Breach of contract
• C. Negligence
• D. Assault

Answer: (A)

Exemplary damages aim to punish truly blameworthy conduct and deter others, but they aren’t available for every civil wrong. In defamation, the remedy is designed to compensate the plaintiff for harm to reputation and to vindicate character, with policy considerations that discourage punishing speech beyond compensation. Because of this focus on correcting the harm and protecting free expression, exemplary damages are not awarded in defamation claims. In other contexts, such as certain egregious torts or where a breach of contract involves additional tortious conduct, exemplary damages may be possible, but defamation is not.

Exemplary damages aim to punish truly blameworthy conduct and deter others, but they aren’t available for every civil wrong. In defamation, the remedy is designed to compensate the plaintiff for harm to reputation and to vindicate character, with policy considerations that discourage punishing speech beyond compensation. Because of this focus on correcting the harm and protecting free expression, exemplary damages are not awarded in defamation claims. In other contexts, such as certain egregious torts or where a breach of contract involves additional tortious conduct, exemplary damages may be possible, but defamation is not.