RJ Reynolds Denied Retrial for Vaping Patent Infringement Case

Jan.16.2023
RJ Reynolds Denied Retrial for Vaping Patent Infringement Case
RJ Reynolds Vapor Co. denied new trial for $95M payment to Altria over Vuse Alto vape pod patent infringement.

RJ Reynolds Vapor Co. has been denied a request to have their September loss reevaluated after being ordered to pay $95 million in damages to Altria Group for violating three vape pod patents with their Vuse Alto electronic cigarettes.


According to reports, Judge N. Carlton Tilley Jr. stated in an opinion released on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina that "the jury's disagreement with Reynolds' perspective does not mean the trial was unfair.


Tilley refused the motion made by Reynolds, a subsidiary of BAT, to either retry or reduce the compensation awarded to Altria's customer service company by the jury on September 7th.


In its request for a retrial, Reynolds Vaper argues that "Altria improperly injected provocative evidence regarding allegations of patent infringement against Reynolds in other cases, depriving Reynolds of a fair trial. The erroneous evidence ruling also harmed Reynolds' defense. These errors, taken independently and under the cumulative error doctrine, affected the verdict and thus require a complete retrial.


Altria stated that "this was a fair trial. There is no reason for a retrial, and we are pleased that the jury correctly determined that Reynolds Vapor Company infringed on some of our patents.


This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

BAT Podcast with AACS CEO: Vape Policy Imbalance Fuels Australia’s Billion-Dollar Illicit Market
BAT Podcast with AACS CEO: Vape Policy Imbalance Fuels Australia’s Billion-Dollar Illicit Market
In BAT’s The Smokeless Word podcast, AACS CEO Theo Foukkare warned that high taxes and strict vape bans have fueled Australia’s AUD 10-billion illicit nicotine market and rising retail crime, urging urgent regulatory reform.
Oct.27 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Thai Cabinet Approves NHRC Proposal to Tighten E-Cigarette Regulation
Thai Cabinet Approves NHRC Proposal to Tighten E-Cigarette Regulation
Thailand’s Cabinet approved a National Human Rights Commission proposal to tighten e-cigarette regulation. The Health Ministry was instructed to raise public awareness on vaping risks and amend the 2017 Tobacco Control Act to cover all tobacco products, including vapes and new forms, while enforcing WHO FCTC Article 5.3 to prevent industry interference.
Oct.28 by 2FIRSTS.ai
ZYN’s Trademark Dilemma in China | Legal Opinion Submitted to 2Firsts
ZYN’s Trademark Dilemma in China | Legal Opinion Submitted to 2Firsts
ZYN faces trademark revocation and enforcement challenges in China. In this legal commentary submitted to 2Firsts, the author examines regulatory gaps, enforcement hurdles, and the high legal risks surrounding nicotine pouch trademarks.
Oct.14
Dagestan Proposes Pilot Ban on E-Cigarette Sales, Submits Request to State Duma
Dagestan Proposes Pilot Ban on E-Cigarette Sales, Submits Request to State Duma
The head of Russia’s Republic of Dagestan has proposed a region-wide ban on the retail sale of e-cigarettes and has written to the State Duma seeking to designate Dagestan as a pilot region for a comprehensive e-cigarette sales ban.
Oct.21 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Product | Magnetic-attach design + mini display: FASTA’s new product goes on sale in the U.S., priced around $16
Product | Magnetic-attach design + mini display: FASTA’s new product goes on sale in the U.S., priced around $16
FASTA’s 40K Kit hits U.S. retailers: magnetic prefilled pods + reusable battery, mini display, two power levels; rated 20 mL/40,000 puffs/50 mg; some listings at $15.99.
Oct.15 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Russia’s Vape Market Squeezed by Excise Hikes and Criminal Marking Rules
Russia’s Vape Market Squeezed by Excise Hikes and Criminal Marking Rules
According to Business FM, Russia’s vape and e-liquid supply has tightened since mid-Aug; by early Oct top liquids had largely disappeared and prices rose ~50% vs early summer. Shops cite a two-year excise hike to RUB 44/mL and, from Aug, criminal liability for unmarked goods (large-scale from RUB 100k), prompting withdrawals. Some chains report compliant substitutes. A bill would let regions ban vape sales.
Oct.30 by 2FIRSTS.ai