Big Tobacco Facing Multiple Trials
More than 8,000 smokers and their loved ones have been waiting for nearly two decades for their opportunity for justice. These smokers were part of the Engle class action that was decertified several years ago. The Florida Supreme Court upheld a number of findings made by the Engle jury after they heard evidence for nearly a year; which will now apply in individual trials being held across the state for smokers and their surviving family members. Most of the upcoming trials involve the surviving spouses and children of smokers who died long ago due to lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Below is a summary of upcoming tobacco trials:
Estimated Trial Date |
Jurisdiction |
10/2009 |
Fort Lauderdale |
10/2009 |
Fort Lauderdale |
10/2009 |
Fort Lauderdale |
10/2009 |
Fort Lauderdale |
10/2009 |
Fort Lauderdale |
10/2009 |
Fort Lauderdale |
10/2009 |
Fort Lauderdale |
11/2009 |
Daytona Beach |
11/2009 |
Pensacola |
11/2009 |
Miami |
12/2009 |
Daytona Beach |
12/2009 |
Daytona Beach |
1/2010 |
Fort Lauderdale |
1/2010 |
Gainesville |
1/2010 |
Tampa |
1/2010 |
Pensacola |
1/2010 |
Jacksonville |
1/2010 |
West Palm Beach |
1/2010 |
Tampa |
1/2010 |
Fort Lauderdale |
2/2010 |
Gainesville |
2/2010 |
Gainesville |
2/2010 |
West Palm Beach |
2/2010 |
Brooksville |
2/2010 |
Jacksonville |
2/2010 |
Daytona Beach |
2/2010 |
Miami |
3/2010 |
Gainesville |
3/2010 |
Gainesville |
3/2010 |
West Palm Beach |
3/2010 |
Miami |
3/2010 |
Tampa |
3/2010 |
Tampa |
3/2010 |
Jacksonville |
3/2010 |
Tampa |
3/2010 |
Pensacola |
3/2010 |
Fort Lauderdale |
3/2010 |
Melbourne |
3/2010 |
Fort Lauderdale |
3/2010 |
Fort Lauderdale |
4/2010 |
Gainesville |
4/2010 |
Gainesville |
4/2010 |
Bradenton |
4/2010 |
Fort Lauderdale |
5/2010 |
Gainesville |
5/2010 |
West Palm Beach |
5/2010 |
Pensacola |
5/2010 |
Jacksonville |
6/2010 |
Tampa |
6/2010 |
Jacksonville |
7/2010 |
Pensacola |
7/2010 |
Jacksonville |
8/2010 |
Jacksonville |
9/2010 |
Pensacola |
10/2010 |
West Palm Beach |
10/2010 |
West Palm Beach |
In addition to the above trial settings, additional trials should be scheduled during the same time period in Broward, Hillsborough, Lee, Escambia, Duval, Volusia, Alachua, and Levy Counties. Several judges have indicated a willingness to consider conducting multi-plaintiff or consolidated trials, over the strenuous objection of the tobacco defense lawyers, in hopes of giving every former member of the Engle class action the right to a jury trial during their lifetime.
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