September 11, 2026
Philip Morris's parent company plans to appeal a North Carolina federal judge's ruling finding a sublicensing agreement between R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. and Juul Labs Inc. relieves Reynolds of its obligation to pay ongoing royalties under a 2022 jury verdict, according to a notice filed Friday.
August 31, 2026
A sublicensing agreement between R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. and Juul Labs Inc. relieves Reynolds of its obligation to pay ongoing royalties to Philip Morris parent company Altria Client Services LLC after a federal jury found that Reynolds infringed Altria's vape pen design, a North Carolina federal judge has ruled.
April 06, 2026
Tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. said one of its in-house attorneys should not be forced to testify in person at an upcoming evidentiary hearing in a royalty fight with rival Philip Morris' parent company, arguing a recording of his deposition is all a North Carolina judge should need.
February 25, 2025
A federal judge in North Carolina on Tuesday granted requests by tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. and rival Philip Morris' parent company to seal documents in their ongoing royalty dispute, keeping details of their licensing agreements with the vape brand JUUL confidential.
September 03, 2024
Tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds is pushing hard on a bid to end $95 million in royalty payments it owes to the parent company of Philip Morris after a patent infringement verdict, emphasizing to a North Carolina federal court that its deal with Juul to license vape pen technology can in fact be enforced retroactively.
August 15, 2024
The parent company of Philip Morris is pushing back on what it described as a delayed bid by R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. to skirt paying royalties on a pod-style vape, telling a North Carolina federal court that an "after-the-fact sublicense" with Juul isn't enough to undo the ongoing payments.
July 03, 2024
R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. said it shouldn't have to pay royalties to the parent company of Philip Morris for a pod-style vape it was found to have infringed in a $95 million patent verdict nearly two years ago, pointing to a recent licensing deal it signed with Juul.
February 02, 2024
British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International Inc. said Friday that the companies had come to a settlement resolving multiple heated tobacco and vape patent infringement suits.
January 27, 2023
R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. must pay the parent company of Philip Morris ongoing royalties for a pod-style vape it was found to have infringed in a $95 million patent verdict last year, though not at the rate its rival had requested, a North Carolina federal judge ruled Friday.
January 12, 2023
R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. on Thursday lost a bid for a new trial in a vape patent case that sacked it a $95 million judgment, despite a North Carolina federal judge finding that opposing counsel had stepped out of line during cross-examination of an expert witness in front of the jury.