United States

Six foreign governments filed separate actions against various tobacco companies in a Florida state court, seeking recovery of health care costs attributable to treatment of tobacco-related diseases.  The actions were initially removed to federal district court, but certain actions were subsequently remanded by the district court to Florida state court due to the lack of federal subject matter jurisdiction.  The tobacco companies both appealed the district court's decisions to remand and petitioned the Appellate Court to issue writs of mandamus prohibiting remand.  In this decision, the Appellate Court held that it lacked authority to review the district court's decision to remand.  The Court further declined to issue writs of mandamus.  The Court noted, among other things, that remand to state court would not constitute clear error or abuse of discretion in these cases and that the Court's lack of authority to review remand decisions on appeal counseled against asserting its authority to prevent these decisions.