WASHINGTON, D.C. - (Mealey's) The U.S. Supreme Court has denied tobacco companies' appeal of a Louisiana state court order to fund a $241 million medical monitoring and smoking cessation program, according to a clerk of the court report issued June 27 (Philip Morris USA Inc., et al. v. Deania M. Jackson, et al., No. 10-735, U.S. Sup.).

Tobacco defendants Phillip Morris USA Inc., the Tobacco Institute Inc., Lorillard Tobacco Co., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Brown & Williamson Tobacco were ordered to fund the two programs by the Orleans Parish District Court after a trial.  

The Fourth Circuit Louisiana Court of Appeal issued an opinion in April 2010 affirming the order but recalculated the amount of the judgment for the plaintiffs from $591.6 million to $241 million plus interest (No. 09-461). 

The companies filed an application for a stay and petition for a writ of certiorari.  

Justice Antonin Scalia stayed the execution of the judgment in an order entered Sept. 14, pending the disposition of the petition for a writ of certiorari. 

Deania M. Jackson and Gloria Scott are the plaintiffs representing the class in the appeal. 

The petition for a writ of certiorari was considered at the June 23 conference of the justices. 

[Editor's Note:  Full coverage will be in the July issue of Mealey's Litigation Report: Tobacco.  For all of your legal news needs, please visit www.lexisnexis.com/mealeys.] 

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