Supreme Court of California

Tobacco companies are shielded from product liability lawsuits only for statutorily-described conduct which falls inside the 10-year immunity period between the first version of Civil Code section 1714.45 in 1988 (granting such immunity), and the second version (rescinding that immunity in 1998).

Appellate Information

• Decided 08/05/2002
• Published 08/05/2002

Judges

• KENNARD, J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
•  Bourdette & Partners, Philip C. Bourdette and André P. Gaston, Visalia, for Plaintiff and Appellant., Wartnick, Chaber, Harowitz & Tigerman, Harry F. Wartnick, Madelyn J. Chaber, San Francisco;  Law Offices of Daniel U. Smith, Daniel U. Smith, Los Angeles, and Ted W. Pelletier for Patricia Henley, Leslie Whiteley and Leonard Whiteley as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant., Bill Lockyer, Attorney General, Richard M. Frank, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Dennis Eckhart, Assistant Attorney General, and Peter M. Williams, Deputy Attorney General, as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
•  Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin and H. Joseph Escher III, San Francisco, for Defendant and Respondent R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company., Munger, Tolles & Olson, Michael R. Doyen, Fred A. Rowley, Jr., Daniel P. Collins, Los Angeles, and Ronald L. Olsen for Defendant and Respondent Philip Morris Incorporated., Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold and Frederick D. Baker, San Francisco, for Defendant and Respondent Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation., William L. Gausewitz for The Alliance of American Insurers, The American Insurance Association, The National Association of Independent Insurers, The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and The Reinsurance Association of America as Amici Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents., Fred Main for California Chamber of Commerce as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents.