http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/lawsuit/taylor.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/000111/bcu.html http://tobacco.org/news/34571.html In denying the plaintiff's request for class action status Monday, Judge William J. Giovan, of the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan, ruled that common issues in a class action would not be stronger than individual issues, and that a class action would not be a better means to resolve claims, the tobacco companies said. Reuters Tue, 11 Jan 2000 05:00:00 GMT http://infoseek.go.com/Content?arn=BW1627-20000111&qt=smoking+or+tobacco+or+cigarettes&sv=IS&lk=noframes&col=NX&kt=A&ak=news1486 http://tobacco.org/news/34563.html -A Michigan judge has refused to grant class certification in a smoking and health lawsuit filed against Philip Morris Inc. and other members of the tobacco industry, saying the individual circumstances of each smoker override any common issues they may have as a group. "Having concluded that common issues in a class action would not predominate over individual issues, and that a class action would not be a superior means to resolve the asserted claims, the plaintiffs' motion for class certification is denied," wrote Judge William J. Giovan of the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan. . . Giovan's decision was in Taylor v. American Tobacco Co., et al (The Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan Civil No. 97 715975 NP). Business Wire Tue, 11 Jan 2000 05:00:00 GMT