The Illinois Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on a $10.1 billion class action verdict against cigarette giant Phillip Morris USA.
The court, which will hear the case Tuesday, has previously been involved in the 10-year-old case. Last year an appellate court reinstated a 2003 local verdict that Phillip Morris broke state law by marketing "light'' and "low-tar'' cigarettes as safer than others.
The Illinois high court initially ruled with the company because federal rules allowed such marketing. A 2008 U.S. Supreme Court decree allowed for reconsideration of the Illinois case.
The plaintiffs asked Justice Lloyd Karmeier to recuse himself because they say he's biased in favor of Phillip Morris. Karmeier refused and says he has no conflict. ___
The case is Price v. Philip Morris, and oral arguments will be streamed live at www.illinoiscourts.gov.
