U.S. Court of Appeals Agrees to Expedited Review of Disgorgement Claim in Department of Justice Lawsuit Against Tobacco Manufact

U.S. Court of Appeals Agrees to Expedited Review of Disgorgement
Claim in Department of Justice Lawsuit Against Tobacco Manufacturers 


WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., July 15  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia today agreed to an expedited review of a
decision by District Court Judge Gladys Kessler denying a motion by R.J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company and other tobacco manufacturers to dismiss the
disgorgement claim in the Department of Justice lawsuit.

The companies' brief is due to the court on July 23.  The DOJ's response brief
is due Aug. 24, and the companies' reply brief is due Aug. 31.

"We believe that the law significantly limits the scope of any potential
disgorgement of profits that the government can claim in this case, and we are
pleased that the court of appeals has agreed to take this appeal," said Daniel
W. Donahue, senior vice president and deputy general counsel for Reynolds
Tobacco.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJRT) is a wholly owned subsidiary of R.J.
Reynolds Tobacco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:RJR).  R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company is
the second-largest tobacco company in the United States, manufacturing about
one of every four cigarettes sold in the United States.  Reynolds Tobacco's
product line includes four of the nation's 10 best-selling cigarette brands:
Camel, Winston, Salem and Doral.  For more information about RJRT, visit the
company's Web site at http://www.rjrt.com/ . 

DATASOURCE: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company



CONTACT:  Seth Moskowitz of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company,

[phone]



Web site:  http://www.rjrt.com/ 

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