Punitive Damages from an English Law Perspective

Year 2022, Volume: 28 Issue: 2, 1176 - 1212, 24.12.2022

Işıl Yelkenci

https://doi.org/10.33433/maruhad.1173493

Abstract

Defendant having breached a contract or inflicted a tort is liable to compensate the loss suffered by the other party. Any award of damages exceeding loss is qualified as “penalty” and hence assessed to be outside the realm of private law. Still, certain legal systems allow for punitive damages under some exceptional conditions. This study focuses on the historical roots and current state of punitive damages in English law. Historically, an award of damages exceeding loss is rooted on flexibility of the law of damages in the field of torts. Punitive damages ultimately turned out to hold a significant place in modern tort law. Yet, House of Lords narrowed down its field of application in torts via category test. On the other hand, the widely held view that punitive damages are not allowed under contract law, has become disputed.

Keywords

Punitive Damages, English Law, English Legal History, Category Test, Punitive Damages for Breach of Contract

Cezalandırıcı Tazminat Kavramına İngiliz Hukuku Odaklı Bir Bakış

Abstract

Sözleşmeyi ihlal eden veya haksız fiilde bulunan kişinin tazminat sorumluluğu, tazminat hukukunun temel ilkesi doğrultusunda karşı tarafın uğramış olduğu zararla sınırlıdır. Karşı tarafın uğramış olduğu zararı aşan bir tazminata hükmedilmesi, “ceza” niteliği taşır ve bu anlamda özel hukuka yabancı olarak nitelendirilir. Temel ilke bu olmakla birlikte, bazı hukuk sistemleri istisna niteliği taşıyan bazı durumlarda cezalandırıcı tazminata hükmedilmesine olanak tanımaktadır. Zararı aşan tazminat kavramını belirli bir bakış açısıyla incelemeyi amaçlayan bu çalışma da cezalandırıcı tazminat kavramının İngiliz hukukundaki tarihsel gelişimine ve güncel durumuna odaklanmaktadır. Bu çerçevede zararı aşan miktarda tazminata hükmedilmesinin, İngiliz hukukunun tarihsel gelişimi içerisinde haksız fiil alanında tazminatın belirlenmesine ilişkin ilkelerin esnekliğine dayalı olarak kendiliğinden ortaya çıkmış bir olgu olduğu gösterilmiştir. En nihayetinde cezalandırıcı tazminat, modern İngiliz haksız fiil hukukunda kayda değer bir yer edinmiştir. Fakat cezalandırıcı tazminatın bu geniş uygulama alanı, Lordlar Kamarasının cezalandırıcı tazminata başvurulup başvurulamayacağına ilişkin olarak bir kategori testi öngören kararıyla daraltılmış bulunmaktadır. Öte yandan İngiliz hukukunda sözleşme ihlali neticesinde cezalandırıcı tazminata hükmedilmesinin mümkün olmadığı yönündeki genel kabul, özellikle son dönemde öğretinin tartıştığı konulardan biri hâline gelmiştir.

Keywords

Cezalandırıcı Tazminat, İngiliz Hukuku, İngiliz Hukuku Tarihi, Kategori Testi, Sözleşme İhlaline Bağlı Cezalandırıcı Tazminat

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