You're right, of course. Punitive damages are limited. One unfortunate effect of that is that the very wealthy rarely face meaningful consequences. But the com

You're right, of course. Punitive damages are limited. One unfortunate effect of that is that the very wealthy rarely face meaningful consequences. But the comment at the beginning of this thread asked why a defamation lawsuit needs to be that much, and I would answer: to deter acts like Oberlin's ruinous defamation of the bakery. If the intent is to communicate, the court has to speak loud enough to be heard.