California US Smokeless Tobacco Cases

Home Page

Welcome to the California US Smokeless Tobacco Cases
Class Action Settlement Website.

 

Update on payment of claims (May 30, 2009): The appeal in this case has been resolved. The final stages of claims processing are now underway and it is expected distribution will occur prior to July 2009.

 

The purpose of this website is to inform all adult consumers who purchased U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company moist smokeless tobacco products, including Copenhagen®, Skoal®, Rooster®, Red Seal®, Bandits®, Pouches® and Husky® in the state of California at any time from January 1, 1990 to October 17, 2007 of a proposed class action settlement that may affect your rights. 

 

Plaintiffs allege that  U.S. Smokeless Tobacco and related entities (collectively, “U.S. Smokeless Tobacco”) engaged in sales practices that made it possible for U.S. Smokeless Tobacco to monopolize the market for moist smokeless tobacco products in violation of the antitrust and/or consumer protection laws of the State of California.  Plaintiffs allege that, as a result of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco’s alleged conduct, Class Members were injured because they paid more for U.S. Smokeless Tobacco moist snuff tobacco products than they would have absent the alleged conduct.

 

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco expressly denies that it engaged in any wrongful or illegal sales practices or other conduct, and has asserted numerous defenses to the Plaintiffs’ claims in the Litigation.  The Court has not decided in favor of the Plaintiffs or U.S. Smokeless Tobacco.  Instead, both sides agreed to enter into negotiations, and the parties reached this settlement with the help of a neutral mediator.

 

This site provides the following information: