Bar Exam Rule Statements Practice Test

Nominal damages may be awarded in tort actions when there is no actual loss. Which statement best expresses this?

They require substantial actual damages.

They are the exclusive remedy in all torts.

They prove punitive intent.

They recognize a breach when no actual damages are shown.

Nominal damages are a token award used when a tort occurs but there is no actual loss to prove. The purpose is to vindicate the plaintiff’s rights and establish liability, signaling that a legal wrong happened even though no substantial damages resulted. That’s why the statement that best captures this is that they recognize a breach when no actual damages are shown. The other ideas don’t fit: nominal damages don’t require substantial actual damages, they aren’t the exclusive remedy in all torts, and they don’t prove punitive intent.