Florida tobacco verdict goes up in smoke

The intermediate appeals court in Florida has thrown out the punitive damages verdict for $145 billion awarded in Miami-Dade County in 2000, as reported here and here and here. The opinion is here (via Findlaw). The next level is the notorious Florida Supreme Court, who could go off in any direction. I've always suspected that in some odd way, the majority of the Florida Supreme Court contributed to the Bush electoral victory in 2000 in spite of their intentions, sort of like the way the conduct of France may have hastened the attack on Iraq in 2003.