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Philip Morris loses its bid to move suit 

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling yesterday that went against Philip Morris USA should have little impact on light-cigarette lawsuits and other class actions, the company said.

But some legal experts said the ruling -- which forbids the company from moving a lawsuit filed in an Arkansas state court to federal court -- takes away one avenue that the company could use to defend itself in similar cases.

The lawsuit, Watson v. Philip Morris, was filed by consumers who smoked Marlboro Lights and Cambridge Lights. The suit claimed that Henrico County-based Philip Morris violated the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by fraudulently marketing "light" cigarettes as having less tar and nicotine.

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