Nominal damages
Nominal damages are awarded in certain cases where, although the plaintiff has not sustained actual loss or injury, nominal damages is intended as a statement that the type of conduct the defendant engaged in should not be permitted. For example, if you own a large lot and a neighbor continually cuts across your property line, you may not have sustained any damage, but an award of "nominal" damage will vindicate your right to exclusively occupy your land. In some cases, an award of nominal damages may even trigger the ability to collect punitive damages, legal fees and costs.
nominal damages A term used when a judge or jury finds in favor of one party to a lawsuit--often because a law requires them to do so--but concludes that no real harm was done and therefore awards a very small amount of money. For example, if one neighbor sues another for libel based on untrue things the second neighbor said about the first, a jury might conclude that although libel technically occurred, no serious damage was done to the first neighbor's reputation and consequentially award nominal damages of $1.00.
