The widow of a smoker who died of lung cancer has her $79.5-million judgment against Philip Morris upheld by the Oregon Supreme Court, the Dow Jones News Service reported Feb. 2.

The state court unanimously rejected an appeal of the punitive-damages award by Philip Morris, which argued that the penalty violated the company's due-process rights. Mayola Williams sued the tobacco firm for negligence and fraud after her husband, Jessie, died of cancer in 1997.

The tobacco company previously appealed the verdict to the U.S. Supreme Court, which sent the case back to the Oregon courts for review. The Oregon Supreme Court concluded that Philip Morris' conduct in trying to minimize research on the health risks of cancer was "extraordinarily reprehensible" and therefore justified the penalties.

Philip Morris promised another appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.