Philip Morris USA v. Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2008)

Philip Morris USA v. Williams

Supreme Court of the United States

Argued October 31, 2006
Decided February 20, 2007

Full case name:	Philip Morris USA, Petitioner v. Mayola Williams, Personal Representative of the Estate of Jesse D. Williams, Deceased
Docket #:	05-1256

Citations:	549 U.S. ___; 127 S. Ct. 1057; 166 L. Ed. 2d 940; 2007 U.S. LEXIS 1332; 75 U.S.L.W. 4101; CCH Prod. Liab. Rep. P17,676; 20 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 80

Holding

Due Process bars punitive damages for harm caused to individuals not involved in the litigation.

Court membership

Chief Justice: John Glover Roberts, Jr.
Associate Justices: John Paul Stevens, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito

Case opinions

Majority by: Breyer
Joined by: Roberts, Kennedy, Souter, Alito
Dissent by: Stevens
Dissent by: Thomas
Dissent by: Ginsburg
Joined by: Scalia, Thomas

Laws applied

U.S. Const. amend. XIV

Philip Morris USA v. Williams, 549 U.S. ___ (2007), was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, which held that the Due Process clause of the 14th Amendment bars punitive damages for harm caused to individuals not involved in the litigation.

The counsel for petitioner Philip Morris USA was Andrew L. Frey; Mayer Brown. The counsel for respondent Williams was Robert S. Peck; Center for Constitutional Litigation PC.