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Class Action Petition 2.14 MB Download

Order on Plaintiff's Motion for Class Certification 1.96 MB Download

Order on Defendant's Motion for Reconsideration of Class Certification 513.89 KB Download

Order on Plaintiff's Motion for Reconsideration of Class Definition 490.43 KB Download

First Amended Class Action Petition 456.39 KB Download

Defendant's Answer to Class Action Petition 1.33 MB Download

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Dayna Craft, et al, v. Philip Morris Companies, Inc. and Philip Morris Inc. 

Welcome

If you lived in Missouri and bought Marlboro Lights Cigarettes between February 14, 1995 and December 31, 2003

This class action may affect your rights.

Consumers in the State of Missouri have filed a class action lawsuit against Philip Morris USA, Inc. (formerly Philip Morris Incorporated) ("Defendant"). Altria Group, Inc. was a defendant in the lawsuit but was dismissed by agreement of the parties on July 27, 2010. . . .

Your Legal Rights and Options in this Lawsuit:

Do Nothing and Stay in the Lawsuit

Stay in this lawsuit. Await the outcome. Share in possible benefits. Give up certain rights.

By staying in the lawsuit, you keep the possibility of getting money that may come from a trial or a settlement. But, you give up any rights to sue the Defendant on your own in the future about the same legal claims in this lawsuit.

Ask to be Excluded

Get out of the lawsuit. Get no benefits from it. Keep rights.

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• Missouri Residents who Bought Marlboro Lights Cigarettes Between February 14, 1995 and December 31, 2003, Could Be Affected by a Class Action Lawsuit 

& Sullivan, and Newman Bronson & Wallisare:

A class action lawsuit about whether Philip Morris USA Inc. misled consumers about Marlboro Lights cigarettes has been certified to proceed. The lawsuit is called Craft v. Philip Morris Companies, Inc. and it is pending in the Missouri Circuit Court, Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit.

You are a Class Member if you were a resident of Missouri between February 14, 1995 and December 31, 2003; and purchased and consumed Marlboro Lights cigarettes in Missouri during that time; and have not filed a claim for personal injury resulting from the purchase or consumption of cigarettes.

The lawsuit concerns two principal issues:

(1) Whether the Defendant misled people about the amount of tar and nicotine they would receive from smoking Marlboro Lights cigarettes and the dangers of smoking Marlboro Lights cigarettes versus regular cigarettes; and

(2) Whether people overpaid for Marlboro Lights as a result of these alleged misrepresentations.

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Mo. Court Affirms Light-Cigarettes Class Action 

A Missouri smoker who sued Philip Morris USA Inc. for allegedly making false claims about the health effects of light cigarettes appropriately brought the matter as a class action, a state appeals court has found.

The suit filed in 2000 alleged that Missouri consumers did not receive "the qualities and economic value of low-tar, low-nicotine cigarettes."

The lawsuit said light cigarettes, when used normally, actually deliver higher levels of tar and nicotine than demonstrated in machine testing conditions.

Judge Michael David of the St. Louis Circuit Court certified a class of plaintiffs consisting of state "residents who had purchased [Philip Morris brand] lights in Missouri since 1971 but who do not have a claim for personal injury relating to smoking." . . .

Craft v. Philip Morris USA Inc., No. ED85142, 2005 WL 1944333 (Mo. Ct. App., E. Dist. Aug. 16, 2005). Tobacco Industry Litigation Reporter Volume 20, Issue 26 08/031/2005

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• Missouri Court Clears Altria Suit As Class Action ($$) 

A Missouri appeals court upheld a lower-court decision granting class-action status to a suit that accuses Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA unit of misleading smokers about the health risks of light cigarettes.

The decision in the case, brought by Dayna Craft, was handed down late Tuesday by the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District. The appellate court backed an earlier decision to limit the class eligibility to Missouri residents who purchased and smoked Marlboro Lights cigarettes during an eight-year period.

Philip Morris said it plans to ask the Missouri Supreme Court to review the decision. The company has argued in the past that there are too many individual issues among smokers to lump them together.

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Mo. Court Backs Class Certification For 'Lights' Case 

A Missouri appellate court upheld a lower court decision to grant class-action status to a lawsuit filed against Altria Group Inc.'s (MO) Philip Morris USA unit by a group of light cigarette smokers.

The decision in the case, which was brought by Dayna Craft, was handed down late Tuesday by the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District.

The appellate court backed the earlier decision to limit the class eligibility to Missouri residents who purchased and smoked Marlboro Lights cigarettes during an eight-year period.

Philip Morris said it plans to ask the Missouri Supreme Court to review the latest decision in the case.

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• Missouri court allows class-action suit against Philip Morris 

A Missouri appeals court has ruled that a lower court appropriately certified as a class-action case a lawsuit accusing Philip Morris USA of misleading smokers about the health risks of its so-called "light" cigarettes.

Tuesday's ruling by the Missouri Court of Appeals was cheered by attorneys who pressed a similar lawsuit in Illinois against the cigarette maker, which in that case was ordered to pay a $10.1 billion consumer-fraud judgment. Philip Morris - now part of Altria Group Inc. - has appealed that to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Tuesday's ruling upheld St. Louis Circuit Judge Michael David's decision last year to let the Missouri lawsuit's original plaintiffs represent potentially thousands of other smokers of light cigarettes. Both Missouri rulings essentially found a class-action format appropriate in dealing with claims that Philip Morris misled smokers into thinking light cigarettes were less harmful than regular ones, violating Missouri's Merchandising Practices Act. . . .

William Ohlemeyer, Philip Morris' vice president and associate general counsel, said in a written statement that the company will ask Missouri's Supreme Court to review Tuesday's ruling, saying that "for a variety of reasons, the company believes the law doesn't allow cases like this to be treated as a class action."

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CRAFT v. PHILIP MORRIS Appeal 

8-Mar-2005 11:00

DIVISION 2

Clayton

ST. LOUIS CITY CIRCUIT COURT 1. ED85142

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Tobacco Industry Suffers Setbacks In 'Lights' Litigation 

So-called "lights" litigation against the tobacco industry doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon.

This week, Altria Group Inc.'s (MO) Philip Morris USA suffered setbacks in two lights cases, which seek refunds for smokers who claim the cigarette maker misrepresented the health risks of light cigarette brands such as Marlboro Lights.

On Wednesday, Ohio's 9th District Court of Appeals upheld the class certification in a case brought by Catherine Marrone. . . .

The Ohio decision followed on the heels of another ruling on Tuesday by Missouri Circuit Court Judge Michael David in St. Louis reaffirming the class certification on a case, which was brought by Dayna Craft. . . .

Those tracking developments in lights cigarette cases continue to watch the Price case in Illinois closely.

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