Plaintiff was an employee of AutoZone, and alleged that AutoZone had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The jury decided in favor of the plaintiff, and the magistrate judge approved $100,000 in compensatory damages, $200,000 in punitive damages, $115,000 in back pay, and an injunction on AntoZone’s anti-discrimination policies. AutoZone appealed.

1. What were the legal issues in this case? What did the court decide?

2. What are compensatory damages? Why did the appeals court uphold the compensatory damages awarded to the plaintiff?

3. What are punitive damages? Why did the appeals court uphold the awarding of punitive damages in this case? Why was the amount of punitive damages deemed not constitutionally excessive? 

4. What is injunctive relief? What was the employer ordered to do? Why was the first injunction “remanded” to the trial court?

5. Overall, do the damages awarded to the plaintiff in this case seem “just?” Why or why not?