Antitrust Group

Pool Owners’ State Antitrust Claims Remain Afloat

A Louisiana federal judge has denied motions to dismiss pool owners’ indirect purchaser claims brought under state antitrust laws against Pool Corporation, the nation’s largest distributor of pool products, and pool manufacturers. Judge Sarah Vance of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana limited indirect purchasers’ state antitrust claims in In re Pool Products Distribution Market...

Federal Judge Green Lights Antitrust Attack Of The Cloned Horses

Breeders of cloned horses will get to advance their antitrust attack on a dominant horse breed registry that excludes cloned horses, following a ruling by a federal judge in Texas who denied American Quarter Horse Association’s motion for summary judgment. District Court Judge Mary Lou Robinson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in Abraham & Veneklasen Joint Venture et al. v....

Credit Default Swap Purchasers Accuse Bankers Of Blocking Competition

A new class action alleges that international megabanks used their monopoly power to manipulate the credit default swaps market. Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 33 Cleveland District Pension Plan has filed a class action in Illinois federal court against 15 defendants, including Bank of America, Citibank, and JPMorgan Chase & Co.  According to the complaint, the defendants used companies they controlled, including...

California Judge Sweetens Antitrust Action For Sara Lee

The prices for products freshly baked by Sara Lee can be negotiated without violating California’s Cartwright Act a state court judge has ruled, throwing out antitrust class action claims against the food company. Distributors that buy the baked goods and sell them to stores throughout California filed Kaewsawang v. Sara Lee Corp. in 2006.  The Fourth Amended Complaint alleged that Sara Lee fixed prices and...

Auto Dealers Allege Carfax Is A Competitive Lemon In Antitrust Suit

More than 120 auto dealers in 17 states are alleging in a new $50 million antitrust suit that they paid higher prices for less reliable vehicle history reports thanks to Carfax’s exclusive dealing arrangements with major players in the auto industry. Carfax has monopolized the vehicle history reports market and raised prices by making exclusive deal agreements with car manufacturers and used car listing websites,...