| ■ U.S. Supreme Court Dismisses Tobacco Company Appeal | 2009.04.07 |
| By HealthDay - Tue Mar 31 The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a challenge by Philip Morris USA over a $79.5 million punitive-damage award to the widow of a heavy smoker, The New York Times reported. The top court said it should not have agreed to hear the case after all. The case was making its third appearance before the court. The Oregon Supreme Court had repeatedly upheld a verdict against the cigarette maker from a fraud trial in 1999. In its appeal, Philip Morris said the Oregon Supreme Court had defied an earlier U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case. This week's U.S. Supreme Court's ruling is precedent-setting. |