WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Illinois smokers who sought reinstatement of a $10.1 billion class-action judgment in a long-running lawsuit against Philip Morris.

The justices did not comment Monday in leaving in place an Illinois Supreme Court ruling in favor of the cigarette maker.
The smokers objected to the participation of Justice Lloyd Karmeier, who they said benefited from tobacco money in his retention election.