BSA Section 50 — Character as affecting damages

Summary

In civil cases, the fact that a person's character is such that it should affect the amount of damages they receive is relevant. This means a court can consider a person's character when deciding how much money to award them in a civil lawsuit.

The explanation clarifies that, for this section and sections 46, 47, and 49, the word "character" includes both reputation and disposition. However, except as provided in section 49, evidence can only be given of general reputation and general disposition, not of particular acts that show how that reputation or disposition was formed.

Official Text

In civil cases, the fact that the character of any person is such as to affect the amount of damages which he ought to receive, is relevant.

Explanation.—In this section and sections 46, 47 and 49, the word “character” includes both reputation and disposition; but, except as provided in section 49, evidence may be given only of general reputation and general disposition, and not of particular acts by which reputation or disposition has been shown. PART III ON PROOF FACTS WHICH NEED NOT BE PROVED

Sections referred to

• BSA §46 — In civil cases character to prove conduct imputed, irrelevant
• BSA §47 — In criminal cases previous good character relevant
• BSA §49 — Previous bad character not relevant, except in reply

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• IEA §55 — Character as affecting damages