A federal appeals court ruled Friday that government cannot force the tobacco industry to surrender $280 billion in past profits that were allegedly earned by fraud from sales of cigarettes. The decision is a major setback for the government�s case, which is the largest civil racketeering trail in U.S. history.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for […]

Did the tobacco companies deceive the American public about the health effects of smoking? The Department of Justice says yes and believes that it can prove it in court.
After five years of preparation, the largest civil racketeering trial in U.S. history, United States v. Philip Morris USA Inc., is scheduled to begin today in U.S. […]

Philip Morris’s appeal to reduce the $10.5 million awarded to Patricia Henley, a former smoker with lung cancer, in damages was rejected by the California Supreme Court on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.
Ms. Henley was the first plaintiff to win a verdict against a tobacco company.
Philip Morris can request for the U.S. Supreme Court to […]

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on Friday reinstated a so-called “lights” cigarettes class action lawsuit against Philip Morris USA. The lawsuit claims Philip Morris advertised Marlboro Lights as less harmful than other brands.
In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled that Massachusetts’ Consumer Protection laws require the trial court to allow the case to proceed as a […]

A Missouri court has certified two class action lawsuits against Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, that accuse the tobacco giants of misrepresenting the amount of tar and nicotine certain brands of “lights” cigarettes contain.
Brands listed in the lawsuits are Marlboro Lights from Philip Morris Companies and Salem Lights, Winston Lights, Camel Lights or Camel Special […]

Florida appeals court reversed a $145 billion punitive damage award against major U.S. cigarette makers, saying the case should never have gone forward as a class-action lawsuit because each individual smoker had started smoking, and continued to smoke, for different reason.
A three-judge panel of Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal also found that the […]

WASHINTON — The Supreme Court on Monday turn down Canada’s attempts to use a U.S. anti-racketeering law to sue R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. over cigarette smuggling. Canadian officials claim R.J. Reynolds tried to get around taxes by smuggling cigarettes into Canada through an Indian reservation. Other countries jumped on the bandwagon by copying Canada’s $1 […]

Miami, FL — Tobacco Industry Lawyers on Wednesday appeared before Florida’s 3rd District Court of Appeal to argue against the $145 billion verdict against the tobacco industry, making it the largest damage award in American history. Elliot Scherker, tobacco industry lawyer, said the verdict should be overturned because the trial plan was unconstitutional and the […]