A decade-old lawsuit filed against the tobacco company Phillip Morris USA was approved to proceed in Little Rock Tuesday.
Plaintiffs are seeking to represent every Arkansan who smoked Marlboro Lights over a 38-year period.
Yesterday's hearing had been delayed for years over jurisdictional questions. However, in a ruling, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox granted the class-action status over the objections of Philip Morris lawyers who wanted any aggrieved customers to file individual lawsuits.
A Phillip Morris spokesman says the company will appeal the class-action designation to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
