Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Stroma Medical Corporation, et al. v. Samuel Blumberg
Paid petition · Court of Appeal of California, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, No. G062786 · judgment May 14, 2025
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Questions presented
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Whether the Due Process Clause requires California appellate courts to review punitive damages awards de novo, as this Court held in Cooper Industries, Inc. v. Leatherman Tool Group, Inc., 532 U.S. 424 (2001), or permits review under a deferential “substantial evidence” standard.
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Whether the Due Process Clause is violated when a court upholds a punitive damages award based solely on statutory “malice” in a case involving purely economic harm, where the award is disproportionate to both the reduced compensatory award and comparable statutory penalties.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Benjamin Michael Daniels
Robinson & Cole LLP
For respondent
Paul Po Ren Cheng
Law Offices of Paul P. Cheng
Case
Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences
Proceedings
- Mar 02 2026Rehearing DENIED.
- Feb 11 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/27/2026.
- Feb 06 2026Petition for Rehearing filed.
- Jan 12 2026Petition DENIED.
- Dec 10 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
- Dec 08 2025Suggestion of bankruptcy for Stroma Medical Corporation filed.
- Nov 25 2025Waiver of right of respondent Samuel Blumberg to respond filed.
- Oct 21 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 24, 2025)