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PUBLISHED OPINION

COURT OF APPEALS

DECISION

DATED AND FILED

NOTICE

May 27, 1998

This opinion is subject to further editing. If published, the official version will appear in the bound volume of the Official Reports.

Marilyn L. Graves

Clerk, Court of Appeals

of Wisconsin

A party may file with the Supreme Court a petition to review an adverse decision by the Court of Appeals. See § 808.10 and Rule 809.62, Stats.

Any negligence or wilful misconduct of a person under the age of 18 years when operating a motor vehicle upon the highways is imputed to the parents where ... either parent signed as sponsor .... The parents ... [are] jointly and severally liable with such operator for any damages caused by such negligent or wilful misconduct.

1 Marlon Jamison also received a lengthy prison sentence for his part in the shooting.

2 Reyes entered into a pretrial settlement with State Farm Fire & Casualty Company, Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and Cheryl L. Rothering. These parties were then dismissed from the action.

3 Specifically, Judge Flynn denied Reyes' motion for summary judgment, finding that an issue of fact remained as to whether Cheryl had canceled her sponsorship prior to the shooting. Implicit in the trial court's finding is the assumption that the sponsorship statute imposed liability on Cheryl for Aaron's conduct.

4 In Employers Mutual Fire Insurance Co. v. Haucke, 267 Wis. 72, 64 N.W.2d 426 (1954), the court interpreted an earlier version of the sponsorship statute, § 85.08(9)(c), Stats., 1951. This does not impact our analysis, however. Section 85.08(9)(c) read in pertinent part:

Any negligence or wilful misconduct of a person under the age of 18 years when operating a motor vehicle upon the highways shall be imputed to the person who signed the application of such person for a permit or license ....

Thus, there is no substantive difference between the relevant language of § 85.08(9)(c) and § 343.15(2)(b), Stats., as it applies to this case.

5 Greatway also raises several arguments to support its claim that even if Cheryl is legally liable under § 343.15(2)(b), Stats., she is not "an insured person" under the insurance contract and it is not otherwise liable for any damages. Because we hold that Cheryl is not liable under the sponsorship statute, these arguments are moot; therefore, we decline to address them.

6 Dr. Han testified that because of the injury Reyes would need an eye exam every one or two years, at a cost of $100 to $200 per visit. The parties stipulated that Reyes had a life expectancy of 50.9 more years, a number they apparently derived from an actuarial table. Therefore, the maximum amount the jury could have awarded to represent the cost of future eye exams was $10,180, or Reyes' life expectancy multiplied by $200.

7 Aaron does not raise an argument that his "double punishment" under both criminal and tort law violated double jeopardy principles. We do not address it.

8 Punitive damages are permitted only for those torts "which are malicious, outrageous or a wanton disregard of personal rights which require the added sanction of a punitive damage to deter others from committing acts against human dignity." Fahrenberg v. Tengel, 96 Wis.2d 211, 222, 291 N.W.2d 516, 521 (1980) (quoted source omitted). Although the punitive damages statute, § 895.85, Stats., somewhat modified this standard, it is inapplicable to the present case because the present action was commenced prior to May 17, 1995, the effective date of the statute. See 1995 Wis. Act 17, § 4. Moreover, Aaron does not argue that his actions were not malicious or outrageous and did not warrant the imposition of punitive damages, only that the amount awarded is excessive given the circumstances of the case.

9 Consistent with Wis J I-Civil 1707, the trial court instructed the jury that:

Factors you should consider in answering this question include: 1. The grievousness of the defendant's acts, 2. The degree of malicious intention of the defendant or the recklessness of the defendant's conduct, 3. The potential damage which might have been done by such acts as well as the actual damage, and 4. The defendant's ability to pay. You may consider the defendant's wealth in determining what sum of punitive damages will be enough to punish the defendant and ... deter the defendant and others from same conduct in the future.