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U.S. Supreme Court Unanimously Repudiates Philip Morris' Contention that It "Acted Under" the Federal Trade Commission;  

The U.S. Supreme Court today unanimously reversed an Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that, if it had been upheld, would have severely damaged the ability of consumers harmed by corporate fraud to achieve a remedy in state court.

The Watson, et al. v. Philip Morris Companies, Inc. case (today’s opinion is here while the docket is here) began as a class action, brought in state court under Arkansas law, based on Philip Morris’ fraudulent marketing and sale of so-called “light” cigarettes. Smokers of those cigarettes were deceived by Philip Morris’ scam wherein those “light” cigarettes were characterized as a safer, or less hazardous alternative, to regular cigarettes.

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