Class action suit consolidated in Bangor
A federal judicial panel has chosen a Bangor court to hear a consolidated lawsuit that accuses cigarette maker Altria of using deceptive marketing practices when selling its "light" cigarettes.
Eight lawsuits from across the country that claim Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris, engaged in deceptive marketing of their light cigarettes will be consolidated at the U.S. District Court in Bangor and be heard by Chief Judge John Woodcock Jr., according to a transfer order from the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. The judicial panel chose Bangor because the earliest filed of the eight -- Stephanie Good v. Altria Group Inc., which was filed in August 2005 -- is already pending at the court and is substantially more advanced than the other cases, the order says. In addition, the panel noted that Chief Judge Woodcock "has the time and experience to steer this litigation on a prudent course."
Consolidating the cases will eliminate duplication and conserve the resources of the courts and parties involved, the order says.
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