Date: 09-13-2023

Case Style:

Dessie Johnson v. RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company

Case Number: 4:22-cv-00144

Judge: Allen C. Winsor

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida (Leon County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Ben Crump and Rich Collins

Defendant's Attorney: Charles Beall, et al. and David Reeves, et al.

Description: Tallahassee, Florida personal injury lawyers represented the Plaintiff who sued the Defendants on product liability and RICO theories.

This case was filed in the Circuit Court, Gadsden County, 2020-CA-000635, and was removed to federal court by the Defendants.

"The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is a federal law that was enacted in 1970. RICO is designed to combat organized crime by making it a crime to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity.

Racketeering activity is defined as any of a list of 35 crimes, including bribery, extortion, mail fraud, wire fraud, and securities fraud. A pattern of racketeering activity is two or more acts of racketeering activity that are committed within a ten-year period and that are related to each other by a common scheme or plan.

RICO provides for both criminal and civil penalties for violations. Criminal penalties include up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000 for each act of racketeering activity. Civil penalties include treble damages (three times the amount of actual damages) and attorneys' fees.

RICO has been used to prosecute a wide variety of criminal organizations, including the Mafia, drug cartels, and white-collar crime organizations. It has also been used to prosecute individuals and businesses that have engaged in corrupt or fraudulent activities.

RICO is a powerful tool that can be used to combat organized crime and corruption. However, it is important to note that RICO is a complex law and that it should only be used by experienced attorneys.

Here are some of the key features of RICO:

It is a federal law that applies to all 50 states.
It provides for both criminal and civil penalties.
It defines racketeering activity broadly, making it a versatile tool for prosecutors.
It has been used to prosecute a wide variety of criminal organizations.
It is a complex law that should only be used by experienced attorneys.

If you are considering filing a RICO lawsuit, it is important to speak to an attorney to discuss your case. An attorney can help you determine if you have a valid claim and can help you navigate the complex legal process."

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Outcome: 05/18/2022 16 ORDER OF DISMISSAL. The amended complaint is dismissed without prejudice for failure to prosecute and failure to comply with a court order. The motion to dismiss, ECF No. 12 , is denied as moot. The clerk must enter judgment and close the file. Signed by JUDGE ROBERT L HINKLE on 05/18/2022. (rcb) (Entered: 05/18/2022)
05/18/2022 17 CLERK'S JUDGMENT re 16 ORDER OF DISMISSAL. 90 Day Exhibit Return Deadline set for 8/16/2022 (rcb) (Entered: 05/18/2022)
08/17/2022 18 DOCKET ANNOTATION BY COURT: Re 17 Clerk's Judgment. **After review of the case, all documents are available electronically** (rcb) (Entered: 08/17/2022)
05/17/2023 19 MOTION to Reopen Case , MOTION to Remand to State Court by DESSIE JOHNSON. (COLLINS, RICHARD) (Entered: 05/17/2023)
05/18/2023 Set/Reset Deadlines as to 19 MOTION to Reopen Case MOTION to Remand to State Court . (Internal deadline for referral to judge if response not filed earlier: 6/1/2023). (rcb) (Entered: 05/18/2023)
05/31/2023 20 RESPONSE in Opposition re 19 MOTION to Reopen Case MOTION to Remand to State Court filed by PHILIP MORRIS USA INC, RJ REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Emails, # 2 Exhibit Winslow Robinson Jr. Linkedin Profile) (HAYES, ASHLEY) (Entered: 05/31/2023)
05/31/2023 21 NOTICE of Adoption of and Joinder in Defendants' Opposition to Motion to Reopen Case and Remand to State Court by LIGGETT GROUP LLC re 20 Response in Opposition to Motion, 19 MOTION to Reopen Case MOTION to Remand to State Court (LUTHER, KELLY) (Entered: 05/31/2023)
06/22/2023 22 ORDER OF DISQUALIFICATION. I disqualify myself from further consideration of this case. The clerk must randomly reassign the case. JUDGE ROBERT L HINKLE recused. Case reassigned to JUDGE ALLEN C WINSOR for all further proceedings. Signed by JUDGE ROBERT L HINKLE on 06/22/2023. (rcb) (Entered: 06/22/2023)
06/22/2023 ACTION REQUIRED BY DISTRICT JUDGE: Chambers of JUDGE ALLEN C WINSOR notified that action is needed Re: 22 ORDER OF DISQUALIFICATION. (rcb) (Entered: 06/22/2023)
09/07/2023 23 REPLY to Response to Motion re 19 MOTION to Reopen Case MOTION to Remand to State Court filed by DESSIE JOHNSON. (COLLINS, RICHARD) (Entered: 09/07/2023)
09/12/2023 24 MOTION to Withdraw 23 Reply to Response to Motion by DESSIE JOHNSON. (COLLINS, RICHARD) (Entered: 09/12/2023)
09/13/2023 25 MOTION for Leave to File Reply to Defendant's Motion in Opposition by DESSIE JOHNSON. (COLLINS, RICHARD) (Entered: 09/13/2023)

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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