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Judge Signals Likely Class Certification in Juul-Altria Antitrust Case

By  |  October 18, 2025

A federal judge in California indicated Friday that he is inclined to grant class certification for groups of consumers and resellers pursuing antitrust claims against Juul Labs Inc. and Altria Group Inc., according to Reuters. U.S. District Judge William Orrick said during a virtual hearing that his tentative decision favors the plaintiffs, who accuse the companies of conspiring to stifle competition in the e-cigarette market following Altria’s $12.8 billion investment in Juul in 2018.

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    The plaintiffs include both direct and indirect purchasers who argue that the deal between the two tobacco giants reduced product variety and inflated prices. Judge Orrick told the parties that although he plans to issue a written order confirming his position, he would first resolve several remaining issues before finalizing the certification decision, per Reuters.

    During the hearing, Altria’s attorney, James Rosenthal of Wilkinson Stekloff LLP, urged the court not to approve class certification. He argued that doing so could create what he described as a “Frankenstein’s monster” of inconsistent state damages laws. According to Reuters, Rosenthal pointed to the differences among 31 states’ antitrust statutes, noting that while California’s Cartwright Act mandates treble damages, other states do not. He warned that these disparities could lead to uneven and potentially unfair outcomes across jurisdictions.

    Read more: FTC Drops Complaint After Altria’s Juul Exit

    Rosenthal also objected to the proposal of splitting the trial into two phases—one to determine liability and another to assess damages. He said such an approach would effectively double the workload for defense experts and result in logistical complications, Reuters reported.

    Judge Orrick did not issue an immediate ruling from the bench but reaffirmed that a written order would follow after he addresses outstanding questions related to the structure of the potential classes and the scope of state law variations.

    Source: Reuters