Florida Appellate Panel Disqualifies Judge In 12 Engle Progeny Cases

Mealey's (February 14, 2019, 1:59 PM EST) -- WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Fourth District Florida Court of Appeal in a Feb. 6 decision agreed with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. that a Broward County judge’s ex parte communication with a plaintiff’s attorney about a “hot button issue in tobacco litigation” disqualifies him from presiding over the 12 Engle progeny cases that remain on his docket (R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., et al. v. Saundra Alonso, et al., No. 4D18-2444, Fla. App., 4th Dist., 2019 Fla. App. LEXIS 1603)....