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Jones Day - Experience - Turner v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., No. 00-L-113 (Ill. Cir. Ct., Madison County) 

Summary: This is a suit by a putative class of Illinois smokers seeking a refund of money spent on light cigarettes on the theory that the use of the word "light" to describe cigarettes is deceptive. A similar case called Miles resulted in a multibillion verdict against Philip Morris. Issues & Appeals lawyers prepared a variety of summary judgment motions and an opposition to class certification. The Illinois Supreme Court stayed the case after granting review in the related Miles case.

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• Reynolds 'Light' Cigarette Suit on Hold 

The R.J. Reynolds case, pending in Madison County, Illinois and known as "Turner," had been scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 28. But the state's high court issued a 90-day stay on Oct. 27, pending the outcome of the Philip Morris case, known as "Price."

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RJR: Ill Supreme Court Grants Stay In Turner Lights Case 

The Illinois Supreme Court granted R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc. (NYSE:RJR)'s motion for a stay of a class-action case against its R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. unit until the court rules on a similar case against Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO)'s Philip Morris USA.

Both cases revolve around claims that the tobacco companies misled smokers about the dangers of so-called light cigarettes.

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• Supreme Court of Illinois Justice Orders Emergency Stay in Turner Case 

On Oct. 24, a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois granted an emergency stay of all proceedings in the Turner case, a "lights" cigarette class-action against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJRT), pending in Madison County, Ill.

As a result of this decision, the Supreme Court will now review and rule on RJRT's request that it halt all proceedings and assume jurisdiction of the Turner case pending the Court's final appeal decision in the Miles/Price case, a similar class-action against Philip Morris Incorporated, (Philip Morris U.S.A.).

Daniel W. Donahue, senior vice president and deputy general counsel for RJRT, said, "This means that the Turner case will not be tried until the full panel of judges on the Illinois Supreme Court rule on our request that jurisdiction of this case be moved to their court."

On Oct. 20, the Illinois trial judge presiding over the class-action case reversed his own earlier ruling and ordered that the trial of the Turner case be stayed for 90 days from Oct. 20. The trial had been scheduled to begin Oct. 28.

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Madison County Crt Grants Stay In RJ Reynolds Lights Case 

An Illinois trial court on Monday agreed to grant R.J. Reynolds Tobacco (NYSE:RJR) Co.'s request for a stay in a case involving claims the Winston-Salem, N.C., company made about its lights cigarettes.

The Madison County Circuit Court agreed to postpone the case, which is known as Turner, for 90 days.

The stay provides time for the Illinois Supreme Court to consider the legal issues involved in a separate "lights" case against Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO)'s Philip Morris USA.

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RJR's 'lights' tobacco trial delayed for 3 months 

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc. (NYSE:RJR) said on Monday that a judge issued a 90-day stay of the beginning of its "lights" class action trial in Illinois, days after another court refused to delay it.

Judge George Moran of the third judicial circuit court in Madison County issued the stay from Oct. 20, an R.J. Reynolds spokeswoman said.

R.J. Reynolds said that last Friday the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Illinois denied the company's request to stay the "lights" class action case, known as Turner, which was to begin in Madison County, Illinois, on Oct. 28.

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• RJR's 'lights' tobacco trial delayed for 3 months 

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc. said on Monday that a judge issued a 90-day stay of the beginning of its "lights" class action trial in Illinois, days after another court refused to delay it.

Judge George Moran of the third judicial circuit court in Madison County issued the stay from Oct. 20, an R.J. Reynolds spokeswoman said.

R.J. Reynolds said that last Friday the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Illinois denied the company's request to stay the "lights" class action case, known as Turner, which was to begin in Madison County, Illinois, on Oct. 28.

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