Jump to full article: Madison County (IL) Record, 2007-08-22
Author: Steve Korris
Intro: For the third time the Illinois Supreme Court has knocked down Stephen Tillery's $10.1 billion class action verdict against Philip Morris.
In an order this morning, the Court allowed the tobacco company's motion for a supervisory order blocking the 5th District Appellate Court from re-opening the case.
The Court directed Madison County Circuit Judge Nicholas Byron to vacate his May 9 order certifying questions of his jurisdiction to the 5th District. Byron dismissed the case in December 2006 at the command of the Supreme Court. . . .
In June Tillery reported to the Illinois Supreme Court that the U.S. Supreme Court had rendered an opinion in the other case vindicating his argument.
Five Illinois justices disagreed. Their brief order carried no signature. Justices Charles Freeman and Thomas Kilbride dissented.
Freeman wrote that the 5th District could have refused to hear it.
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