A grudge allegedly held by Palm Beach Circuit Judge Meenu Sasser against a plaintiffs attorney who opposed her bid for a seat on the federal bench translated to her removal from a multimillion-dollar tobacco case.

Posttrial comments attributed to Sasser in smoker litigation raised a warranted fear of partiality, disqualifying her from Debra Perrotto’s case against cigarette manufacturers, the Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday.