Litigation is an important tool to defend and advance public health policy. This tracker provides information and official court documents from select lawsuits within the focus areas of the Public Health Law Center, including commercial tobacco control and healthy eating. Some cases are relevant to cross-cutting issues that affect public health, such as preemption and First Amendment considerations. The Public Health Law Center has supported public health goals as an amicus curiae, or friend-of-the-court, by filing briefs (included here) with relevant information that the court may choose to consider. You can read more about the Function and Role of Amicus Briefs in Public Health Litigation.
Public Health Topics
Displaying 61 - 70 of 104

Graham v. R.J. Reynolds (2016)

The legal issue in this case is whether the Panel’s preemption analysis accurately interpreted Congressional intent when it omitted consideration of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act’s preservation and savings clauses, leading to the conclusion that any state regulation banning sales of tobacco product is subject to implied preemption.

State

Florida

Most Recent Activity

Status

Open

Expressions Hair Design v. Schneiderman (2016)

The legal issue in this case is whether state credit card no-surcharge laws unconstitutionally restrict speech conveying price information (as the Eleventh Circuit has held), or regulate economic conduct (as the Second and Fifth Circuits have held).

State

New York

Most Recent Activity

Status

Open

National Restaurant Association v. New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (2016)

The legal issue in this case is whether New York City’s sodium warning rule is a scientifically controversial, arbitrary and capricious, constitutionally invalid measure preempted by federal law, or whether the sodium warning is a scientifically sound, legally well-grounded measure representing a reasonable response to a public health crisis.

State

New York

Most Recent Activity

Status

Open

Philip Morris v. FDA (2015)

The tobacco industry successfully challenged an FDA guidance document that changed the way that the agency administers the premarket review process.

State

Washington D.C.

Most Recent Activity

Status

Open

Lorillard v. FDA (2011)

Lorillard Inc. and R.J. Reynolds challenged the composition of the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC). The court determined that the challenge to TPSAC’s report on menthol was not ripe for judicial review.

State

Washington D.C.

Most Recent Activity

Status

Closed

National Association of Manufacturers v. Securities and Exchange Commission (2015)

The legal issue in this case is whether the court should grant en banc review of National Association of Manufacturers, et al. v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, given the panel’s novel holdings that, if broadly adopted, would have a significant impact on the robust mandatory disclosure regimes required in public health and safety.

State

Washington D.C.

Most Recent Activity

Status

Open

United States v. Philip Morris (2009)

The legal issue in this case is whether several major tobacco companies violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act by engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the public about the health risks of smoking and to market tobacco products to children.

State

Washington D.C.

Most Recent Activity

Status

Closed

American Meat Institute v. Department of Agriculture (2014)

The legal issue in this case is what standard of First Amendment review applies to compelled disclosures of factual information that the government requires for reasons other than consumer deception.

State

Washington D.C.

Most Recent Activity

Status

Open