IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court is severely limiting the financial damages that can be awarded for injuries and deaths caused by state police officers who are found to have used excessive force. The court ruled 6-1 that punitive damages, which are intended to punish and deter future misconduct, are not available in lawsuits alleging state officers used excessive force in violation of constitutional rights.

Instead, the court says lawsuits brought by injured individuals and the families of those killed by police are subject to limits in the Iowa Tort Claims Act. Justice Edward Mansfield says compensatory damages are still available and offer “an adequate remedy.”