Engle v. Liggett Group
Public Justice authored an amici brief, joined by Public Citizen, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and the American Cancer Society, in this class action lawsuit against the tobacco industry for compensatory and punitive damages resulting from the deceptive and dangerous practices of tobacco companies. The brief argues that the class members’ personal claims for punitive damages should not be barred by the fact that the State of Florida previously settled its own case against the tobacco industry, in which it resolved its claims for punitive damages. The brief also argues that the elimination of the plaintiffs’ punitive damages claims would severely cripple present and future efforts to bring the tobacco industry to justice. Former Public Justice Fellow Richard Frankel was the principal author of the brief, and significant input was provided by Public Justice’s Leslie Brueckner and Arthur Bryant, and counsel for other amici.