A federal appeals court ruled RJ Reynolds Tobacco (RJRT) waited too long to file an appeal of an earlier ruling under which the cigarette maker was required to make corrective statements for Brown and Williamson Tobacco, the Winston-Salem Journal said.

RJRT acquired Brown and Williamson in 2004, and had argued that it should only be made to run one set of statements for its products. RJRT said its responsibility for B&W was only apparent in 2014, when the appeal was filed, the Journal said. However the US District Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, ruled RJRT waited too long, the newspaper reported.
US District Judge Gladys Kessler in 2006 ruled tobacco companies deceived the public on the dangers of smoking and must make corrective statements. In 2012 Kessler issued wording for the statements. Cigarette makers appealed, and an appellate court last year partially agreed, saying portions of the mandated language exceeded the court’s authority. The statements were returned to Kessler for further review.