In Mail 4.2, I have created Rules to Auto Delete “Viagra” etc. Yet, when messages arrive with Viagra in the subject line, the email is not deleted, but rather appears in my Junk Mail folder.

My rule setting is:
If any of the following conditions are met, and the Subject contains “Viagra”, Perform the following: Auto Delete (not move to Junk folder).

Is there something I have missed or is there a fix?

Just a thought Harv.....

Does your rule fall below any conflicting rule where the same incoming message would get moved out of the Inbox to the Junk Mail box by the preceding rule BEFORE your rule could apply?

I but wish that were the case. My only rule is for certain emails to be deleted.

There is a Rules plist. Waddya think of moving my "old" plist aside and starting over?

I have Mail 3.6, but this is likely the same. Go to Preferences-->Junk Mail and uncheck "Filter junk mail before applying my rules".

Thanks Kevin, I'll give it a go.

I had read somewhere that your suggestion is the wiser option, but alas, I questioned that if this were the preferred setting, why would Apple include the option to filter mail before applying my rules, e.g., what's wrong with having two filters?

Is there a tag or such that says this mail has been filtered, let it pass?

Filtering mail before your Rules allows the Junk Mail filter to use those emails to continue learning and improving it's results. Filters/Rules take action based on the first match, so either the Junk mail filter matches first or your Rules match first. It's your preference. It will never match both. That's just not how these things work. Also note that the order of your Rules themselves has a bearing on the results. Let's say you want to move all emails with "Humor" in the subject to a certain folder, but you dislike emails with a subject of "Viagra Humor". You'd then want to make sure your "Viagra" rule is above your "Humor" rule on the list to make sure it gets rid of it before sending it to your "Humor" folder.

Kevin,
I took your advice and waddya know? All is just like you said.

Thanks again for the counsel and the explanation. Both muchly appreciated.