JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — (Mealey’s) A federal judge issued a stay of proceedings in 415 Engle progeny cases Feb. 25 after the plaintiffs agreed to a $100 million aggregate settlement with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Philip Morris USA Inc. and Lorillard... Read More

BRADENTON, Fla. — (Mealey’s) A Florida judge granted a mistrial May 12 in an Engle progeny tobacco trial, two days after the cigarette company defendants questioned his actions in holding a private, off-the-record discussion with the jury... Read More

RALEIGH, N.C. - (Mealey's) The North Carolina Court of Appeals on March 20 upheld a law that exempts private country clubs from a statewide smoking ban, saying the law does not deny due process rights of nightclub owners because its purpose is to... Read More

NEW YORK — (Mealey’s) The European Community (EC) is an agency or instrumentality of its member states for the purpose of diversity jurisdiction in U.S. federal courts, and allegations of cigarette smuggling, racketeering and money laundering... Read More

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — (Mealey’s) A Florida federal jury awarded $5 million in compensatory damages May 15 to a woman who said three companies’ cigarettes caused chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but the jury assigned 50 percent of... Read More

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Jurors in a Florida circuit court on Oct. 6 capped a retrial in an Engle progeny case with a defense verdict, finding that the plaintiff was not addicted to smoking the defendant tobacco companies' cigarettes; the verdict extends... Read More

BRONSON, Fla. - (Mealey's) The tobacco industry's eight-verdict winning streak in Engle progeny cases came to an abrupt halt on Nov. 15 in a Florida state court with an $80 million verdict on behalf of the daughter of a smoker who died from lung... Read More

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — (Mealey’s) A Florida state court jury on July 13 awarded $1.5 million to the widower of a woman who died of lung cancer after years of smoking ( John McCoy, et al. v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., et al. , No. 2008-CV... Read More

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- (Mealey's) A Florida circuit court jury handed Philip Morris USA its sixth straight victory in an Engle progeny case Nov. 12, finding that the plaintiffs did not show reliance on the part of the decedent or negligence on the... Read More

MIAMI — (Mealey’s) A state court jury returned a defense verdict Jan. 23 in a suit alleging that a longtime smoker’s laryngeal cancer was caused by his use of Marlboro cigarettes manufactured by Philip Morris USA Inc. ( Jose Vila Jr... Read More

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - (Mealey's) A Florida appeals court on Feb. 14 overturned a $40.8 million punitive damages verdict in a tobacco wrongful death case as excessive but let stand a $10.8 million award of compensatory damages, the highest so far in... Read More

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla — (Mealey’s) A Florida woman who alleges that her laryngeal and lung cancer was caused by years of smoking cigarettes testified Aug. 22 that she made numerous attempts to quit but was unsuccessful until her laryngectomy... Read More

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - (Mealey's) A New York federal judge on Jan. 13 dismissed a lawsuit by Marlboro smokers seeking certification of a class to require Philip Morris USA to pay for medical monitoring, saying that because all cigarettes are dangerous,... Read More

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - (Mealey's) A Florida state appeals court panel on Feb. 22 reversed a $1.9 million tobacco death judgment against Philip Morris USA Inc., saying that a jury's answer about when a deceased plaintiff knew about her injury... Read More

ST. PAUL, Minn. - (Mealey's) The Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) between 46 states and major tobacco companies precludes private suits for wrongful conduct occurring even after the settlement's 1998 execution, a divided Minnesota Supreme Court... Read More