Law

What is the state of play for punitive damages and how are they treated around the world? The contributors to this volume discuss the hostility to punitive damages in civil law jurisdictions, their evolution in US law, and recent international developments to answer the question: 'Who is (still) afraid of punitive damages?'

The need for planning is steadily increasing in light of growing interconnectedness, future orientation, and dependence on common goods. Fundamental transformation tasks - such as the path to climate neutrality - cannot be accomplished without planning. Anika Klafki systematizes planning law with regard to societal spheres of influence and develops three basic types of planning law as reference points for the evaluation, reform, and unification of planning law.

Product liability is based on human error during production. However, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems are increasingly replacing influences of human control. Tobias Voigt sheds light on the comprehensive dogmatics of German liability law, its judicial development on tortious producer liability and the implementation of the European Product Liability Directive 85/374/EEC. He analyses the legal basis, grounds for liability and various procedural issues and, thus, shows that the existing liability system is open to development for new challenges posed by technical and scientific progress.