California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from Grow Land & Water, LLC v. Mccarthy Family Farms, Inc., F069959 (Cal. App. 2016):
" 'Something more than the mere commission of a tort is always required for punitive damages. There must be circumstances of aggravation or outrage, such as spite or "malice," or a fraudulent or evil motive on the part of the defendant, or such a conscious and deliberate disregard of the interests of others that his conduct may be called wilful or wanton.' " (Taylor v. Superior Court (1979) 24 Cal.3d 890, 894-895.)
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