UNITED STATES DISTRICT COUR
EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
TEXARKANA DIVISION
THE STATE OF TEXAS,
Plaintiff,
v.
THE AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY; R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY;
BROWN & WILLIAMSON TOBACCO CORPORATION; B.A.T. INDUSTRIES, P.L.C.;
PHILIP MORRIS, INC.; LIGGETT GROUP, INC.; LORILLARD TOBACCO COMPANY, INC.;
UNITED STATES TOBACCO COMPANY; HILL & KNOWLTON, INC.; THE COUNCIL FOR
TOBACCO RESEARCH - USA, INC. (Successor to Tobacco Institute Research Committee);
and THE TOBACCO INSTITUTE, INC.
Defendants.
Civil Action No. 5:96CV91
JUDGE: DAVID G. FOLSOM
MAGISTRATE JUDGE: WENDELL C. RADFORD
JURY
*****************************************************************
THE STATE OF TEXAS’ MOTION FOR AN EMERGENCY HEARING
Plaintiff, the State of Texas, respectfully moves this Court for an
emergency hearing on its Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order Enjoining
Defendants from Interfering with this Court’s Discovery Orders. In support,
the State would show as follows:
1. On March 20, 1997, Liggett entered into the Attorneys General Settlement
Agreement ("Settlement Agreement") with 22 states – including
Plaintiff, the State of Texas – that have filed lawsuits against the cigarette
manufacturers to, inter alia, recoup the public health care costs
caused by smoking-related disease. Central to these suits are allegations
that the cigarette manufacturers have affirmatively misrepresented and
hidden the true health dangers of smoking from the public and health regulators.
2. As part of the settlement agreement, Liggett agreed to turn over
"all documents and information that are relevant to the subject matter
of the Actions or which are likely to lead to admissible evidence in connection
with the claims asserted in any of the Actions . . . ." Settlement
Agreement, para. 4.3.2(2). Liggett further agreed to deposit in this Court,
under seal for in camera inspection, all documents which any tobacco
company claims may be privileged. Id.
3. Defendants R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Brown & Williamson
Tobacco Corporation, Lorillard Tobacco Company and Philip Morris Incorporated
sought, and were granted, a temporary restraining order dated March 20,
1997, the effect of which has precluded Liggett from disclosing documents
and information as required by the Attorneys General Settlement Agreement.
See, Temporary Restraining Order. On March 21, 1997, Defendants
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation,
Lorillard Tobacco Company and Philip Morris Incorporated sought, and were
granted, a further order regarding the documents and information pertinent
to the Settlement Agreement. This Order requires Liggett to retrieve all
copies of all documents subject to the TRO and deposit them with the Superior
Court of Forsyth County, North Carolina by Monday, March 24, 1997, at 5:00
p.m. See, March 21, 1997, Order.
4. The actions of Defendants R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Brown &
Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Lorillard Tobacco Company and Philip Morris
Incorporated attempt to seriously interfere and infringe on the jurisdiction
of this Court, undermine this Court’s previous Orders, and impair this
Court’s power to effectively manage and decide the above-captioned action.
5. Given the North Carolina court’s Order to retrieve all copies of
all documents subject to the TRO and deposit them into that court by Monday,
March 24, 1997, at 5:00 p.m. E.S.T., the State requests this Court to conduct
an emergency hearing to determine whether the State’s Motion for Temporary
Restraining Order should be granted. If this Motion for Emergency Hearing
is not granted, the matters at issue will become moot at 5:00 p.m. E.S.T.
today and this Court will have been effectively deprived of its jurisdiction
to determine matters properly before it.
WHEREFORE premises considered, the State of Texas respectfully requests
that this Court schedule and hold an emergency hearing on the State’s Motion
for Temporary Restraining Order at a time sufficiently in advance of 5:00
p.m. E.S.T. to determine whether the motion should be granted.
Respectfully submitted:
DAN MORALES
Attorney General of Texas
Texas Bar No.: 14417450
JORGE VEGA
First Assistant Attorney General
Texas Bar No.: 20533800
JAVIER AGUILAR
Special Assistant Attorney General
Texas Bar No.: 00936300
TOM PERKINS
Special Assistant Attorney General
Texas Bar No.: 15790850
HARRY G. POTTER III
Special Assistant Attorney General
Texas Bar No.: 16175300
P. O. Box 12548
Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711-2548
512.463.2191
512.463.2063 Fax
WALTER UMPHREY, P.C.
490 Park
P. O. Box 4905
Beaumont, Texas 77074
409.835.6000
409.838.8888 Fax
Texas Bar No.: 20380000
ATTORNEY-IN-CHARGE
GRANT KAISER
Kaiser & Morrison, P.C.
Suite 1440 Lyric Centre
440 Louisiana Street
Houston, Texas 77002-1634
713.223.0000
713.223.440 Fax
State Bar No.: 11078900
By: ______________________________
Grant Kaiser, by permission of Walter
Umphrey, Attorney-in-Charge
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify compliance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 5 and Case Management
Order of November 5, 1996, that a true a correct copy of the foregoing
document has been sent by hand delivery on March 24, 1997, to the following:
Administrative Liaison Counsel for All Defendants:
Howard Waldrop
Atchley, Russell, Waldrop & Hlavinka, L.L.P.
1710 Moores Lane
P. O. Box 5517
Texarkana, TX 75505-5517
903.792.8246
903.792.5801 Fax
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________
Grant Kaiser
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COUR
EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
TEXARKANA DIVISION
THE STATE OF TEXAS,
Plaintiff,
v.
THE AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY; R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY;
BROWN & WILLIAMSON TOBACCO CORPORATION; B.A.T. INDUSTRIES, P.L.C.;
PHILIP MORRIS, INC.; LIGGETT GROUP, INC.; LORILLARD TOBACCO COMPANY, INC.;
UNITED STATES TOBACCO COMPANY; HILL & KNOWLTON, INC.; THE COUNCIL FOR
TOBACCO RESEARCH - USA, INC. (Successor to Tobacco Institute Research Committee);
and THE TOBACCO INSTITUTE, INC.
Defendants.
Civil Action No. 5:96CV91
JUDGE: DAVID G. FOLSOM
MAGISTRATE JUDGE: WENDELL C. RADFORD
JURY
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ORDER SETTING EMERGENCY HEARING
The State of Texas’ Motion for Emergency Hearing was determined today.
After reviewing all pertinent pleadings, briefs and other filings and arguments
of counsel, the Court determines that the State’s Motion should be in all
things granted.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, that a hearing be held on the State of Texas’
Motion for Temporary Restraining Order on the _____ day of _____________________,
1997, at ______ __.m.
Dated: March 24, 1997.
_______________________________
DAVID FOLSOM
Federal District Judge