de melioribus damnis
de melioribus damnis (dee mee-lee-or-[schwa]-b[schwa]s dam-nis). [Law Latin] Of the better damages. • This term describes a plaintiff’s election of the defendant against which to take judgment when the jury has mistakenly awarded separate damages against two or more defendants for a joint tort. Under these circumstances, the plaintiff could take a judgment against the defendant that had been assessed the greatest damages, and then enter a nolle prosequi against the others. [Cases: Judgment 240, 256(4, 5).C.J.S. Judgments §§ 39–41, 58–59.]