Originally Posted by CollegeFlyer

Wait, what? Punitive damages go to the plaintiff (i.e., the victim), not to the government. How does that have anything to do with greedy legislators or military pillaging?

The system in which punitive damages go to the plaintiff is certainly open to some criticism (e.g., "why don't the punitive damages go to charity instead? why should this particular victim get them?"), but I fail to see how the government bribery criticism applies.

Unless you are referring to the taxes collected on punitive damages? If so, shouldn't your beef be with the "the greedy IRS" rather than "greedy state legislatures"?