Sikes v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

In this Engle progeny tobacco litigation proceeding, plaintiff Janice Sikes (personal representative of the estate of James Sikes) alleged R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co of fraudulent concealment of dangers of smoking cigarettes manufactured by the company, which led her husband James Sikes to get addicted to smoking and also alleged the company of manufacturing defective cigarettes which resulted in Mr. Sikess death due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The plaintiff was represented by attorneys Robert Shields, John Kalil and Leslie Bryan. The defendant in this case, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co was represented by attorneys Kevin Boyce, Mark Seiden, David Reeves and Edward Carter.

Outcome

R.J. Reynolds: 51%
Sikes: 49%
Medical/Funeral: 1,918,795
Compensatory: 2,165,722
Puntative: 2,000,000

Timeline of Smoker's Fatal COPD at Issue as Trial Opens Against RJR
May 11, 2023

Jury Finds Engle Tobacco Claim Against R.J. Reynolds Time-Barred
May 23, 2023

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: Sikes, Janice
Defense: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
Verdict: $6,084,517

Judge: Russell Healey
Jurisdiction: 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida
Court: Duval County Courthouse (Seagate Mall Annex)

Case Number: 2007-CA-011654
Industry: Tobacco
Practice Area: Tobacco

Plaintiff

Sikes, Janice

Defense

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Represented By:
Boyce, Kevin (Jones Day)
Seiden, Mark (Jones Day)
Reeves, David (Moseley Pritchard Parrish Knight & Jones)
Carter, Edward (Jones Day)

Expert Witnesses

Lay Witnesses

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

PM Session

Openings

14 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:56	General Case Activities
00:19:07	Opening Statement	Shields, Robert
01:47:48	General Case Activities
01:48:59	Break
02:10:36	General Case Activities
02:16:46	General Case Activities
02:17:40	Opening Statement	Boyce, Kevin
03:23:13	General Case Activities
03:25:06	Break
03:42:40	General Case Activities
03:46:34	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	Video Recording
04:45:11	General Case Activities
04:47:01	End of Session

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

13 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

9 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

13 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

16 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

15 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

10 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

21 Chapters

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Closings

14 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

12 Chapters

PM Session

Other

3 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Verdict

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es) - Damages

8 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Defense Witness(es) - Damages

10 Chapters

PM Session

Closings - Damages

10 Chapters

PM Session

Verdict - Damages

5 Chapters

SEP

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:05:57	General Case Activities
00:06:46	General Case Activities
00:12:16	Witness Direct Examination	Kalil, John	Schoonover, Dr. George M.D.	In Person
01:10:12	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Schoonover, Dr. George M.D.	In Person
01:57:06	Break
02:10:12	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Schoonover, Dr. George M.D.	In Person
02:21:07	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Kalil, John	Schoonover, Dr. George M.D.	In Person
02:33:25	General Case Activities
02:34:11	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
03:11:40	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:01:36	General Case Activities
00:02:38	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
01:47:11	Break
02:02:35	General Case Activities
02:10:23	General Case Activities
02:10:54	Witness Direct Examination	Kalil, John	Meadows, James	In Person
02:12:29	Witness Direct Examination	Bryan, Leslie	Sikes, Carla	In Person
02:54:07	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Meadows, James	In Person
03:08:34	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Kalil, John	Meadows, James	In Person
03:11:49	General Case Activities
04:01:09	General Case Activities
04:01:33	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:42	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Krugman, Dr. Dean	In Person
01:01:51	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Krugman, Dr. Dean	In Person
01:32:15	Break
01:45:19	General Case Activities
01:46:25	Break
01:50:56	General Case Activities
01:54:55	General Case Activities
01:55:29	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Krugman, Dr. Dean	In Person
02:43:10	Break
02:56:13	General Case Activities
02:57:23	General Case Activities
02:58:18	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Krugman, Dr. Dean	In Person
03:22:13	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Krugman, Dr. Dean	In Person
03:43:30	General Case Activities
03:44:35	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:02:00	General Case Activities
00:02:59	General Case Activities
00:03:51	Witness Direct Examination	Kalil, John	Heilig, Ashley	In Person
00:48:25	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Heilig, Ashley	In Person
01:07:52	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Kalil, John	Heilig, Ashley	In Person
01:11:20	General Case Activities
01:12:20	Witness Direct Examination	Kalil, John	Spruance, Gilbert	In Person
01:47:31	Break
02:03:47	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Spruance, Gilbert	In Person
02:32:09	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Kalil, John	Spruance, Gilbert	In Person
02:36:01	General Case Activities
02:37:23	General Case Activities
02:37:44	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Sikes, Janice	In Person
03:04:14	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:55	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Werner, Dr. Tonia M.D.	In Person
01:29:20	Break
01:45:31	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Werner, Dr. Tonia M.D.	In Person
02:53:53	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Werner, Dr. Tonia M.D.	In Person
02:59:10	General Case Activities
03:00:01	End of Session

Sikes v. R.J. Reynolds

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:02:49	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	Video Recording
00:17:17	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Burns, Dr. David , M.D.	Video Recording
01:14:04	General Case Activities
01:14:33	Break
01:35:04	General Case Activities
01:36:14	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Cook, Dr. Christopher	Video Recording
03:26:39	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:02:04	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Cook, Dr. Christopher	Video Recording
01:21:38	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Cook, Dr. Christopher	Video Recording
01:37:44	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Cook, Dr. Christopher	Video Recording
01:39:01	General Case Activities
01:43:36	Break
01:54:20	General Case Activities
02:39:26	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:34:07	General Case Activities
00:35:39	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:21:49	Break
02:39:39	General Case Activities
02:41:03	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
03:33:38	General Case Activities
03:34:57	Break

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:22	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
00:52:28	General Case Activities
00:53:02	Break
00:53:50	General Case Activities
01:19:25	General Case Activities
01:21:07	Break
01:33:36	General Case Activities
02:12:32	General Case Activities
02:13:51	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:25:08	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
03:55:36	General Case Activities
03:56:50	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:30	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
01:18:35	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Proctor, Dr. Robert , Ph.D.	In Person
02:06:01	Break
02:07:05	General Case Activities
02:16:24	Break
02:43:11	General Case Activities
02:45:35	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
03:36:11	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:25	General Case Activities
00:01:12	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
01:35:31	Break
02:02:43	General Case Activities
02:03:14	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
02:59:37	Break
03:07:22	General Case Activities
03:09:16	Witness Cross Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	Video Recording
04:05:03	General Case Activities
04:06:06	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:25:31	General Case Activities
00:27:11	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Krugman, Dr. Dean	In Person
01:56:46	Break
02:13:09	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Krugman, Dr. Dean	In Person
03:30:05	General Case Activities
03:30:41	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:35	Witness Direct Examination	Seiden, Mark	Story, Donna	Transcript Reading
00:45:03	General Case Activities
00:48:44	General Case Activities
00:53:05	General Case Activities
00:53:14	General Case Activities
01:03:41	Witness Direct Examination	Seiden, Mark	Anreaco, Dr. John M.D.	Transcript Reading
01:08:33	General Case Activities
01:12:12	General Case Activities
01:54:59	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:01:40	General Case Activities
00:14:56	General Case Activities
00:16:19	General Case Activities
00:17:11	Witness Direct Examination	Seiden, Mark	Sikes, Fletcher	Transcript Reading
00:30:02	General Case Activities
00:30:34	General Case Activities
00:33:11	Break
00:34:16	General Case Activities
00:34:49	Witness Direct Examination	Seiden, Mark	Sikes, Fletcher	Transcript Reading
00:35:53	Witness Cross Examination	Shields, Robert	Sikes, Fletcher	Transcript Reading
00:40:14	General Case Activities
00:43:03	Break
01:00:49	General Case Activities
01:01:24	Witness Direct Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Bernstein, Dr. Lawson M.D., P.C.	In Person
01:54:08	Witness Cross Examination	Shields, Robert	Bernstein, Dr. Lawson M.D., P.C.	In Person
02:36:42	Break
02:43:40	Witness Cross Examination	Shields, Robert	Bernstein, Dr. Lawson M.D., P.C.	In Person
02:52:20	General Case Activities
02:52:31	General Case Activities
02:52:39	General Case Activities
02:54:56	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:04:51	Break
		00:09:52	General Case Activities
		01:10:33	Break
		01:52:54	General Case Activities
		02:30:31	General Case Activities

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:15:13	Break
00:17:53	General Case Activities
00:27:33	Break
00:42:39	General Case Activities
00:46:51	General Case Activities
00:48:15	General Case Activities
00:50:36	General Case Activities
00:50:51	General Case Activities
00:52:11	Closing Statement	Shields, Robert
02:22:07	Break
02:31:26	Closing Statement	Shields, Robert
02:59:49	General Case Activities
03:00:04	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:02:53	General Case Activities
00:04:21	Closing Statement	Boyce, Kevin
01:40:40	General Case Activities
01:54:14	General Case Activities
01:56:37	General Case Activities
01:57:06	Closing Statement	Shields, Robert
02:37:37	General Case Activities
02:39:48	Break
02:47:40	General Case Activities
02:50:53	General Case Activities
03:29:35	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:08:31	General Case Activities
		00:09:35	End of Session

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:01:59	General Case Activities
		00:02:34	General Case Activities
		00:03:16	Reading of the Verdict
		00:06:36	General Case Activities
		00:07:06	General Case Activities
		00:09:40	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:02:29	Witness Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Ratner, Ian CPA	In Person
00:44:05	Witness Cross Examination	Seiden, Mark	Ratner, Ian CPA	In Person
01:24:59	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Shields, Robert	Ratner, Ian CPA	In Person
01:27:24	General Case Activities
01:27:39	General Case Activities
01:27:53	General Case Activities
01:28:41	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
01:05:12	Break
01:13:08	General Case Activities
01:27:40	Break
01:34:08	General Case Activities
01:34:26	General Case Activities
01:35:46	Witness Direct Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	In Person
02:28:42	Witness Cross Examination	Shields, Robert	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	In Person
03:02:56	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Boyce, Kevin	Figlar, Dr. James Ph.D.	In Person
03:10:30	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:07:48	Break
00:12:06	General Case Activities
00:12:58	Closing Statement	Shields, Robert
00:28:17	Closing Statement	Boyce, Kevin
00:42:34	Closing Statement	Shields, Robert
00:53:46	General Case Activities
00:56:45	Closing Statement	Boyce, Kevin
00:57:16	General Case Activities
01:01:41	End of Session