COTE v. R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO CO.

Nos. 15-15633 16-15957.

909 F.3d 1094 (2018)

Bernard COTE, the Personal Representative of the Estate of Judith Berger, Plaintiff-Appellee Cross Appellant, v. R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY, et al., Defendants, Philip Morris USA, Inc., Defendant-Appellant Cross Appellee.

United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.

November 26, 2018.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Frederick C. Baker , Lance V. Oliver , Lisa M. Saltzburg , Sara Orpha Couch , Rebecca M. Deupree , Robert Turner Haefele , James William Ledlie , Patrick Graham Maiden , Joseph F. Rice , Elizabeth S. Smith , Elizabeth C. Ward , Motley Rice, LLC, MT PLEASANT, SC, Louis M. Bograd , Nathan David Finch , Motley Rice, LLC, WASHINGTON, DC, Kenneth S. Byrd , Andrew R. Kaufman , John T. Spragens , Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, NASHVILLE, TN, Elizabeth Joan Cabraser , Richard M. Heimann , Robert J. Nelson , Sarah Robin London , Martin D. Quinones , Todd A. Walburg , Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Samuel Issacharoff , New York University School of Law, NEW YORK, NY, Kathryn E. Barnett , Law Office of Morgan & Morgan, NASHVILLE, TN, Steven L. Brannock , Celene Harrell Humphries , Maegen P. Luka , Thomas J. Seider , Brannock & Humphries, PA, TAMPA, FL, Charles Easa Farah, Jr. , Farah & Farah, PA, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Stephanie J. Hartley , Richard Lantinberg , Janna Blasingame McNicholas , Norwood Wilner , The Wilner Firm, PA, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Mathew Jasinski , Michael J. Pendell , Motley Rice, LLC, HARTFORD, CT, Donald Alan Migliori , Motley Rice, LLC, PROVIDENCE, RI, for Plaintiff-Appellee-Cross Appellant.

M. Sean Laane , Geoffrey Michael , Judith Bernstein-Gaeta , Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, WASHINGTON, DC, Ingo Sprie, Jr. , Keri Arnold , Arnold & Porter, LLP, NEW YORK, NY, Dana G. Bradford, II , Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Joshua Reuben Brown , Greenberg Traurig, LLP, ORLANDO, FL, Mary Katherine Gates Calderon , Robert D. Homolka , Dale M. Johnson, II , Shook Hardy & Bacon, LLP, KANSAS CITY, MO, Bonnie C. Daboll , James B. Murphy, Jr. , Terri Lynn ParkerShook Hardy & Bacon, LLP, TAMPA, FL, Mark Jurgen Heise , Boies Schiller & Flexner, LLP, MIAMI, FL, Maura McGonigle , Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, WASHINGTON, DC, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross Appellee.

Samuel Issacharoff , New York University School of Law, NEW YORK, NY, Frederick C. Baker , Sara Couch Bryant , Sara Orpha Couch , Rebecca M. Deupree , Robert Turner Haefele , James William Ledlie , Patrick Graham Maiden , Donald Alan Migliori , Lance V. Oliver , Joseph F. Rice , Lisa M. Saltzburg , Elizabeth S. Smith , Elizabeth C. Ward , Motley Rice, LLC, MT PLEASANT, SC, Kathryn E. Barnett , Law Office of Morgan & Morgan, NASHVILLE, TN, Steven L. Brannock , Celene Harrell Humphries , Maegen P. Luka , Thomas J. Seider , Brannock & Humphries, PA, TAMPA, FL, Kenneth S. Byrd , John T. Spragens , Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, NASHVILLE, TN, Elizabeth Joan Cabraser , Richard M. Heimann , Sarah Robin London , Robert J. Nelson , Martin D. Quinones , Todd A. Walburg , Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Charles Easa Farah, Jr. , Farah & Farah, PA, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Stephanie J. Hartley , Richard Lantinberg , Janna Blasingame McNicholas , Norwood Wilner , The Wilner Firm, PA, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Mathew Jasinski , Michael J. Pendell , Motley Rice, LLC, HARTFORD, CT, for Plaintiff-Appellant.

Dana G. Bradford, II , Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Joshua Reuben Brown , Greenberg Traurig, LLP, ORLANDO, FL, Kelly Anne Luther , Giselle Gonzalez Manseur , Maria Helena Ruiz , Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman, LLP, MIAMI, FL, James B. Murphy, Jr. , Terri Lynn Parker , Shook Hardy & Bacon, LLP, TAMPA, FL, for Defendant-Appellee LIGGETT GROUP, LLC.

M. Sean Laane , Geoffrey Michael , Judith Bernstein-Gaeta , Maura McGonigle , Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, WASHINGTON, DC, Ingo Sprie, Jr. , Keri Arnold , Keri Arnold, Arnold & Porter, LLP, NEW YORK, NY 10022-4614, Dana G. Bradford, II , Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Joshua Reuben Brown , Greenberg Traurig, LLP, ORLANDO, FL, Mary Katherine Gates Calderon , Robert D. Homolka , Dale M. Johnson, II , Shook Hardy & Bacon, LLP, KANSAS CITY, MO, Scott A. Chesin , Mayer Brown, LLP, NEW YORK, NY, Bonnie C. Daboll , James B. Murphy, Jr. , Terri Lynn Parker , Shook Hardy & Bacon, LLP, TAMPA, FL, Mark Jurgen Heise , Boies Schiller & Flexner, LLP, MIAMI, FL, for Defendant-Appellee PHILIP MORRIS USA, INC.

Before WILSON and NEWSOM, Circuit Judges, and WRIGHT, District Judge.


Plaintiff Judith Berger ("Mrs. Berger")1 sued Philip Morris USA, Inc. ("Philip Morris") for intentional and unintentional torts, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for smoking-related injuries. After a nine-day, bifurcated trial, a jury found for Mrs. Berger on all claims and awarded compensatory...

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