31.   Some of them say the appeals court ruling meant that ordinary Americans lost their voice in environmental battles.

32.   Story pointed out that his ruling does not mean the plaintiffs have succeeded in gaining class-action status.

33.   That ruling means medical marijuana users in the United States could face drug charges -- and jail time.

34.   The companies are still reviewing what that ruling might mean for the hemophiliac settlement, said Rhone-Poulenc Rorer spokesman Guy Esnouf.

35.   The commission ruling means other nations, such as Italy and Spain, may also try similar accounting maneuvers, economists said.

36.   The court also said its ruling did not mean it was always illegal for news organizations to record events secretly in places of work.

37.   The court ruling may mean fewer black members are elected to Congress in the near future.

38.   The court ruling means issues common to all the cases will be tried together.

39.   The high court said its ruling does not mean it rejects the notion that there are differences among men and women.

40.   The lawyers for the two said they expected the ruling would mean their clients would be freed from prison soon.