The Fourth District Court of Appeal granted a petition to disqualify Broward Circuit Judge William W. Haury Jr. from 12 Engle progeny cases after he disclosed an ex parte communication with a plaintiff’s lawyer in another case.

The defendants — tobacco giants R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Philip Morris USA Inc., Liggett Group LLC, and holding company Vector Group Ltd. — had sought Haury’s removal in light of an announcement he made during a status conference in a case brought by smoker Johnnie Calloway’s family.