Sateriale v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Smokers of Camel cigarettes filed a class action lawsuit against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) when the company ended its “Camel Cash” loyalty program but failed to make certain merchandise available for redemption during the final six months of the program. RJR requested penalties against the class action plaintiffs for filing what RJR believed to be a frivolous claim since cigarettes and coupons for cigarettes – which it defined as a type of merchandise – were available during the six-month period in question. In this decision, the court allowed the lawsuit to continue and denied RJR’s request for sanctions.

Sateriale v. RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., 2:09-cv-08394-CAS(SSx) (C.D. Cal. Dec. 19, 2014).

  • United States
  • Dec 19, 2014
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
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Parties

Plaintiff

  • Amanda Sateriale
  • Donald Wilson
  • Jackie Warren
  • Jeffrey Feinman
  • Pamela Burns
  • Patrick Griffiths

Defendant R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Legislation Cited

Related Documents

Type of Litigation

Tobacco Control Topics

Substantive Issues

Type of Tobacco Product

None

"The Court concludes that RJR’s Rule 11 motion should be denied. The arguments advanced by RJR in its concurrently filed summary judgment motion are similar to the arguments RJR advances here. Namely, RJR argues that summary judgment should be granted as to plaintiffs’ breach of contract claim because the term “merchandise” includes cigarettes and coupons for cigarettes, and it is undisputed that RJR made available both cigarettes and coupons during the last six months of the Camel Cash program. This similarity—coupled with RJR’s five-year delay in bringing this motion—convinces the Court that RJR’s motion should be denied. "