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Central District Of California Denies Motion To Dismiss Antitrust Claims In Ticketing Class Action
04/29/2025On April 11, 2025, Judge George H. Wu of the United States District Court for the Central District of California issued a ruling on a motion to dismiss filed by Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. and Ticketmaster LLC (“Defendants”) in a class action antitrust lawsuit alleging violations of Section 1 and Section 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1, 2. Heckman, et al. v. Live Nation Ent., Inc., et al., No. 2:22-cv-00047 (C.D. Cal. Apr. 11, 2025).
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In-Home Nursing Agency Executive Convicted By Nevada Federal Jury In The Department Of Justice’s First Victory In A Wage-Fixing Trial
04/22/2025On April 14, 2025, a federal jury in Nevada convicted a home healthcare nursing executive on one count of conspiracy to fix wages and five counts of wire fraud after a 15-day trial. The verdict represents the DOJ’s first criminal antitrust conviction relating to labor markets after a string of losses in cases dating back to 2020.
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Ninth Circuit Upholds Dismissal Of Antitrust Claims Against Amazon Over Fulfillment Services
04/08/2025On March 20, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s dismissal of consumer Plaintiffs’ Sherman Act claims against Defendant Amazon, Inc. (“Amazon”), with prejudice, for lack of antitrust standing. Hogan v. Amazon.com, Inc., No. 24-1893, 2025 WL 1091671 (9th Cir. Mar. 20, 2025). In upholding the trial court’s decision, the Ninth Circuit panel agreed that plaintiffs—consumers who subscribe to Amazon’s “Prime” membership service—did not suffer antitrust injury in the alleged relevant market, namely, the consumer-facing online retail market. Having already twice amended the complaint and failed to plausibly allege antitrust injury, the Circuit Court affirmed the district court’s decision to dismiss the action with prejudice for failure to state a claim.
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California District Court Grants Software Company’s Motion To Dismiss In Algorithmic Price Fixing Case
04/01/2025On March 21, 2025, Judge Jeffrey S. White of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted defendant software company’s motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ claims of price-fixing under the Sherman Act, finding that plaintiffs failed to state a plausible claim on their alleged algorithm-based hub-and-spoke conspiracy. Hanson Dai, et al. v. SAS Inst. Inc., et al., 4:24-cv-02537-JSW, (N. D. Cal.).
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Second Circuit Affirms Dismissal Of Luxury Brands’ No-Poach Suit
03/25/2025On March 13, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a putative class action asserting claims under Section 1 of the Sherman Act against a department store chain (the “Company”) and certain luxury brands (the “Brands”). Giordano v. Saks & Co. LLC, No. 23-600-CV, 2025 WL 799270 (2d Cir. Mar. 13, 2025). Plaintiffs alleged that the Company and the Brands entered into no-hire agreements that restrained competition in an alleged nationwide luxury retail employee market.
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New York State Court Finds Violation Of Donnelly Act Stemming From Ski Area Acquisition
03/18/2025On February 26, 2025, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Onondaga, rendered a decision involving an alleged anticompetitive acquisition under New York’s Donnelly Act. This decision demonstrates the importance of considering whether a contemplated acquisition may be scrutinized by state antitrust enforcers. People v. Intermountain Mgmt., Inc., Index No. 008588/2022 (Sup. Ct, Onondaga Cty. 2025).
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Eastern District Of Pennsylvania Grants Defendants’ Motion To Dismiss Allegations Of Tying Discounted Drug Prices With Third-Party Administrator Use
03/11/2025On February 26, 2025, Judge Mia Perez of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania granted defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s Sherman Act and Clayton Act claims, though the plaintiff had already conceded the Clayton Act claim during briefing. Brandywine Hospital, LLC v. CVS Health Corp., et al., No. 2:23-cv-01458-MRP (E.D. Pa. Feb. 26, 2025).
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United States District Court Rejects FTC’s Attempt To Block Tempur Sealy And Mattress Firm Vertical Merger
03/11/2025On January 31, 2025, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas denied the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) motion for a preliminary injunction to block the $4 billion acquisition of Mattress Firm by Tempur Sealy International, Inc. Fed. Trade Comm’n v. Tempur Sealy Int’l, Inc., No. 4:24-CV-02508 (S.D. Tex. Jan. 31, 2025).
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Fourth Circuit Affirms Denial Of Class Certification In Coupon Services Price Fixing Case
03/11/2025On February 12, 2025, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina not to grant class certification in a 17-year-old lawsuit accusing Inmar Inc. of fixing shipping prices for coupon processing services. Mr. Dee’s Inc. v. Inmar, Inc., No. 23-2165 (4th Cir. Feb. 12, 2025).
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Ninth Circuit Affirms District Court’s Rejection Of Private State Law Claims Against Qualcomm
03/11/2025On February 25, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the United States District Court for the Northern District of California’s rejection of unlawful tying, exclusive dealing, and unfair competition claims brought under California state law by cellphone purchasers against cellular modem chip producer Qualcomm over policies related to patent licensing.
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No Aftermarket, No Case: Northern District Of California Applies Recent Epic v. Apple Precedent To Dismiss Antitrust Suit Before Closing Arguments
02/11/2025On January 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín granted judgment as a matter of law for defendant Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (“Intuitive” or “defendant”) on all claims brought by plaintiff, Surgical Instruments Service Co. Inc. (“SIS” or “plaintiff”). The Court’s ruling from the bench concluded a three-week jury trial at the eleventh hour before closing arguments. In her ruling, Judge Martínez-Olguín relied on the Ninth Circuit’s recent decision in Epic Games, Inc. v. Apple, Inc., 67 F.4th 946, 977 (9th Cir. 2023) to conclude that SIS could not prove an antitrust aftermarket and therefore could not proceed with its antitrust claims.
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Tenth Circuit Rejects Surgical Assistants’ Appeal In Surgical Credentials Monopolization Case
02/04/2025On January 21, 2025, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the United States District Court for the District of Colorado’s dismissal of the Association of Surgical Assistants’ (ASA) challenge to the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting’s (NBSTSA) certification regime. Ass’n of Surgical Assistants v. Nat’l Bd. of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting; Association of Surgical Technologists, No. 23-01344 (10th Cir., Jan. 21, 2025).
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Illinois District Court Dismisses Antitrust Case Alleging Monopolization Of Transportation Services For Canadian Crude Oil In Chicago
01/31/2025On January 13, 2025, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claim that it monopolized the market for “Canadian crude oil transportation services in the Chicago area” in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act and similar Illinois statutes, which require harmonization with federal laws.
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Game On: NBA Legend’s Monopolization Challenge Against NASCAR To Proceed
01/22/2025On January 10, 2025, Judge Kenneth D. Bell of the United States Court for the Western District of North Carolina denied NASCAR’s motion to dismiss stock car racing team 23XI Racing’s (“plaintiff”) monopolization case against NASCAR (“defendant”). 2311 Racing LLC, et al. v. Nat. Ass’n for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC, et al., 3:24-cv-00886 (W.D.N.C. Jan. 10, 2025).
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Eastern District Of Virginia Overrules Objections To Proposed Divestiture Of Doorskin Manufacturing Plant
01/22/2025On December 13, 2024, Judge Robert E. Payne of the Eastern District of Virginia, in a long-running private action that had previously found a consummated merger to be unlawful, overruled defendant’s objections to the required divestiture of one of the molded interior doorskin manufacturing plants it had acquired. Steves & Sons, Inc. v. Jeld-Wen, Inc., No. 3:16-cv-545 (E.D. Va. Dec. 13, 2024).
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New York Federal Court Denies Defendants’ Motions To Dismiss Sports Streaming Antitrust Suit
12/24/2024On December 13, 2024, Judge Margaret M. Garnett of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York denied defendants’ motions to dismiss a sports streaming company’s antitrust suit challenging their programming distribution methods as well as their proposed joint sports streaming service. FuboTV Inc. v. Walt Disney Co., No. 1:24-cv-01363 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 16, 2024).
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Washington District Court Denies Motion To Dismiss In Algorithmic Rent Price-Fixing Case
12/17/2024On December 4, 2024, the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington denied defendants’ joint motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ class action price-fixing claims under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, allowing property renters to proceed with their allegations that software firm Yardi Systems, Inc. and multifamily property managers conspired to inflate rent prices. Duffy v. Yardi Sys., No. 2:23-cv-01391-RSL (W.D. Wash. Dec. 04, 2024).
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Game Developers Win Class Certification In Valve Antitrust Case
12/11/2024On November 25th, 2024, U.S. Western District Court of Washington Judge Jamal N. Whitehead certified a class of approximately 32,000 game developers who accuse digital PC game distributor Valve Corp. of stifling competition in the Personal Computer (“PC”) game distribution market through its Steam platform. Wolfire Games LLC, et al. v. Valve Corp., et al., Docket No. 2:23-mc-00037 (W.D. Wash. Apr 26, 2023).
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District Court Of Connecticut Largely Denies Generic Drug Manufacturers’ “Unusual” Dismissal Motion Targeting Specific Types Of Relief
11/26/2024On November 12, 2024, Judge Michael P. Shea of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut granted in part and denied in part a joint motion to dismiss submitted by thirty-six defendant drug manufacturers facing “sprawling” antitrust claims brought by the Attorneys General of almost all U.S. states and territories. State of Conn. et al. v. Sandoz, Inc. et al., 20-cv-820 (D. Conn. Nov. 12, 2024). Ruling on the “unusual” 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss that asked the Court to preclude specific types of relief, the Court determined that the majority of plaintiffs’ challenged claims could proceed.
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NASCAR Teams’ Legal Battle Hits Speed Bump With Denial Of Preliminary Injunction
11/19/2024
On November 8, 2024, United States District Judge Frank D. Whitney of the Western District of North Carolina denied without prejudice a motion for preliminary injunction sought by two stock car teams against the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (“NASCAR”). 2311 Racing LLC, et al. v. National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC, et al., No. 3:24-CV-00886-FDW-SCR, 2024 WL 4729485 (W.D.N.C. Nov. 8, 2024). The injunction would have prevented NASCAR from enforcing a legal release provision in its 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Charter Member Agreements (“Charter Agreement” or “Agreement”) and allowed plaintiffs to compete as de facto charter teams without abandoning antitrust claims that are pending before the district court. The Court denied the injunction, finding that plaintiffs failed to establish irreparable harm necessary to warrant relief.
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Southern District Of New York Grants Preliminary Injunction, Pausing Merger Of Luxury Fashion Companies
11/05/2024On October 24, 2024, Judge Jennifer L. Rochon of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) motion for a preliminary injunction, thereby preliminarily enjoining the proposed merger of two luxury fashion companies (the “Defendants”).
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Utah District Court Grants Mattress Businesses’ Motion To Dismiss In Antitrust Case Alleging Conspiracy In And Monopolization Of The Mattresses Market
10/29/2024On October 16, 2024, Judge David Barlow of the United States District Court for the District of Utah granted defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s claims that nine defendants (specifically, sellers, distributors, and manufacturers in the domestic mattress market, as well as a trade association for sleep-related products) conspired to undermine plaintiff’s attempt to compete to sell mattresses in violation of federal and state antitrust laws. CVB, Inc. v. Corsicana Mattress Co., et al., No. 1:20-cv-00144-DBB (D. Utah Oct. 16, 2024).
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SDNY Judge Refuses To Transfer DOJ Case Against Concert Promoter, Finding Attempt To Unwind A Merger Cleared By Consent Decree Does Not Necessarily “Modify” The Decree
10/16/2024On October 3, 2024, United States District Judge Arun Subramanian refused to transfer the DOJ’s monopolization case against two companies in the live entertainment industry (“Defendants”) from the Southern District of New York to the District of Columbia. United States, et al. v. Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., and Ticketmaster L.L.C., No. 24-CV-3937 (AS) (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 3, 2024). According to the decision, the case, which alleges violations of the state and federal antitrust laws, is insufficiently related to the consent decree governing Defendants’ 2010 merger to fall within its retention-of-jurisdiction provision. In his ruling, Judge Subramanian drew a distinction between the consent decree, which “resolved a single claim arising under Section 7 of the Clayton Act,” and DOJ’s present allegations that defendants “have violated separate legal duties” under the Sherman Act and analogous state laws.
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New Jersey District Court Dismisses Algorithmic Room-Rate-Fixing Case Alleging Use Of Room Pricing Software By Atlantic City Casino-Hotels Violates Antitrust Law
10/08/2024On September 30, 2024, Judge Karen M. Williams of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey dismissed with prejudice a complaint, lodged by a putative class of consumers, that alleged various casino-hotels conspired to inflate and fix the price of their hotel rooms by means of pricing software used by each defendant. The Court held that plaintiffs failed to establish a plausible price-fixing conspiracy in violation of antitrust law because plaintiffs: (i) failed to demonstrate parallel conduct; and (ii) did not allege that the algorithm pricing was based on pooled proprietary data. Cornish-Adebiyi, et al. v. Caesars Entertainment, Inc., et al., No. 1:23-CV-02536-KMW-EAP, 2024 WL 4356188 (D.N.J. Sept. 30, 2024).
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Plaintiffs Alleging Per Se Group Boycott Win Reversal In Ninth Circuit
10/01/2024On September 17, 2024, a unanimous panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted an appeal from a group of professional swimmers and the International Swimming League (“ISL”) (together, “Plaintiffs”) in their ongoing litigation against World Aquatics, formerly known as Fédération Internationale de Natation, the governing body for international and Olympic aquatic sports (“FINA” or “Defendant”). Shields, et al. v. World Aquatics, No. 23-15092 (9th Cir. Sept. 17, 2024). Plaintiffs’ primary allegation in the litigation is that Defendant engaged in a group boycott of ISL, an upstart competitor to Defendant.
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Court Grants Motion To Dismiss In Antitrust Case Alleging Boycott Conspiracy Of Crop Protection Products
09/24/2024On September 13, 2024, in a multidistrict litigation, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri granted defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ class action claim of a conspiracy to artificially inflate prices in the United States for seed and crop protection chemicals (“Crop Inputs”), such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. In re Crop Inputs Antitrust Litigation, 21-md-02993-SEP (E.D. Mo. Sept. 13, 2024). Central to plaintiffs’ claim is an alleged scheme by defendants, including the largest wholesalers and retailers of Crop Inputs in the United States, to impede pricing transparency by boycotting electronic sales platforms for Crop Inputs in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. Plaintiffs were direct and indirect purchasers of Crop Inputs, like farmers, who also brought claims for violation of state antitrust and consumer protection statutes.
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Fifth Circuit Dismisses U.S. Anesthesia Partners’ Appeal, Declining To Hear Constitutional Claims Under Collateral Order Doctrine
09/18/2024On August 15, 2024, Judge Stephen A. Higginson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, writing for a panel, dismissed an appeal from U.S. Anesthesia Partners (“USAP”) in its ongoing litigation against the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”).
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Eastern District Of Pennsylvania Denies Motion To Compel The Election Of Defendants’ “Subjective Beliefs”
09/18/2024On August 22, 2024, Judge Harvey Bartle III of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania denied a motion to compel defendants to provide information concerning the “subjective beliefs” of their decisionmakers concerning allegedly meritless patent litigation. King Drug Co. of Florence v. Abbott Lab’ys, No. CV 19-3565, 2024 WL 3904045 (E.D. Pa. Aug. 22, 2024).Category : Monopolization
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Fourth Circuit Affirms That Continuing Violation Doctrine Does Not Preserve Time-Barred Antitrust Claims Without “New” Harm Or Injury Within The Limitations Period
09/18/2024On August 29, 2024, the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court’s decision granting summary judgment and dismissing antitrust claims by CSX Transportation, Inc. (“CSX” or “Plaintiff”) against Norfolk Southern Railway Company (“Norfolk Southern”) and Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad Company (“Belt Line”) (collectively, “Defendants”) for alleged exclusionary fees, finding that CSX’s claims were untimely and could not be saved by the “continuing violation” doctrine. CSX Transp., Inc. v. Norfolk S. Ry. Co., et al., No. 23-1537 (4th Cir. 2024).Categories : Antitrust Injury, Conspiracy, Exclusionary Conduct, Sherman Act § 1, Sherman Act § 2, Summary Judgment
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Complaint Against Health Company Sufficiently Pleads Non-Interchangeability Of Emergency Room And Urgent Care Service
09/18/2024On September 5, 2024, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida denied Health First, Inc.’s motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ amended complaint in a class action lawsuit alleging monopolization and anticompetitive practices in the healthcare market in Brevard County, Florida. Powers, et al. v. Health First, Inc., No. 6:23-cv-375-JSS-RMN (M. D. Fla. Sept. 5, 2024).
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Fifth Circuit Dismisses U.S. Anesthesia Partners Appeal, Declining To Hear Constitutional Claims Under Collateral Order Doctrine
08/27/2024On August 15, 2024, Judge Stephen A. Higginson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, writing for a panel, dismissed an appeal from U.S. Anesthesia Partners (“USAP”) in its ongoing litigation against the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”).
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U.S. DOJ Seeks Rare USD3.5 million “Gun Jumping” Penalty For Alleged Pre-Closing Conduct In Violation Of Hart-Scott-Rodino Act
08/20/2024
On August 5, 2024, the United States Department of Justice filed a rare gun jumping civil lawsuit and proposed settlement in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against a global sports and entertainment venue services company (the “acquiror”) in connection with its acquisition of a venue services/management company (the “acquiree”). United States v. Legends Hosp. Parent Holdings, LLC, No. 1:24-cv-5927 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 5, 2024).
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Health Care Company Secures Antitrust Victory With Jury Verdict In Its Favor
08/13/2024On August 1, 2024, a unanimous jury in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California found plaintiff, a veterinary drug manufacturer, failed to allege a relevant antitrust market under Sherman Act, Section 2 and Clayton Act, Section 3 to support its claims against a rival company for allegedly restraining trade in the flea and tick treatment industry. Because plaintiff failed on this threshold question, the jury did not need to consider any other elements of plaintiff’s claims, and the court entered a verdict in favor of defendant. Tevra Brands LLC v. Bayer HealthCare LLC, No. 5:19-cv-04312 (N.D. Cal. July 26, 2019).
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District Courts Split On Federal Trade Commission’s Non-Compete Clause Rule
07/30/2024On July 23, 2024, Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania denied plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to enjoin the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s Non-Compete Clause Rule (the “Rule”), which bans the use of most non-compete clauses in employment contracts and is set to go into effect on September 4, 2024. ATS Tree Services, LLC v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 2:24-CV-01743, ECF No. 80 (E.D. Pa. July 23, 2024). A diverging opinion out of the Northern District of Texas granting plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction in that case, and a pending case in the Middle District of Florida, sets up a likely challenge of the Rule up to the Supreme Court. SeeRyan v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 3:24-CV-00986, ECF No. 153 (N.D. Tex. July 3, 2024); Properties of the Villages, Inc. v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 5:24-CV-00316 (M.D. Fla.).
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Federal Trade Commission Unanimously Votes To Block Vertical Mattress Merger
07/23/2024After a 5-0 vote, on July 2, 2024, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission sought to block mattress manufacturer (the “Manufacturer”) contemplated $4 billion acquisition of a mattress retailer (“Retailer”) by filing both an administrative complaint and a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the latter with a request for preliminary relief to enjoin the transaction pending the administrative proceeding. According to the FTC, the proposed acquisition would combine the world’s largest mattress supplier with the nation’s largest mattress retailer. Notably, the issuance of this complaint has bipartisan support with Republican Commissioner Holyoak releasing a statement in support of the FTC staff’s thorough investigation.Category : Federal Trade Commission
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Eastern District Of New York Finds Circumstantial Evidence Enough To Defeat Summary Judgment Motion In Antitrust Case Against United States Soccer Federation And Major League Soccer
07/17/2024On June 11, 2024, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York granted in part and denied in part Defendants’ (United States Soccer Federation, Inc. (“U.S. Soccer”) and Major League Soccer, LLC (“MLS”)) motions for summary judgment on Plaintiff’s (North American Soccer League, LLC (“NASL”)) claim that Defendants conspired to exclude it from competing in the men’s professional soccer leagues in the U.S. and Canada in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The Court reasoned that a reasonable jury could find that Defendants acted in concert or unilaterally in applying the professional soccer league standards in a discriminatory manner and allowed that issue and Plaintiff’s monopolization claims to go forward to trial.
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Plaintiffs Win Preliminary Injunction Blocking The FTC’s Ban On Non-Competes
07/17/2024On July 3, 2024, the United States District Court of the Northern District of Texas granted a preliminary injunction barring the Federal Trade Commission from enforcing its rule against non-compete agreements (“Rule”). Ryan LLC v. FTC, No. 3:24-cv-00986-E, 2024 WL 3297524 (N.D. Tex. July 3, 2024) (“Opinion”). The Court did not issue a nationwide injunction, extending relief only to plaintiff and plaintiff-intervenors (collectively, “Plaintiffs”).
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DOJ Fails To Secure Jury Trial In Adtech Monopoly Suit After Damages Claim Mooted By $2.3 Million Cashier’s Check
06/25/2024
On June 11, 2024, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia granted defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ damages claim in a lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice and eight states against a technology company alleging illegal monopolization of adtech markets. The Court, in an opinion unsealed on June 17, dismissed the damages claim as moot, finding no claim for relief remained after defendant sent the full amount of potential damages to DOJ’s offices in the form of a cashier’s check. The Court also struck plaintiffs’ demand for a jury trial, which was based solely on the claim for damages. United States of America et al. v. Google, LLC, No. 1:23-cv-108 (E.D. Va. Jun. 19, 2024).
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Wisconsin District Court Dismisses Motorcycle Purchasers’ Tying Claims
06/18/2024
On June 5, 2024, Judge William Griesbach of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin dismissed an action brought by a class of Harley-Davidson purchasers alleging that the motorcycle manufacturer unlawfully tied its motorcycles and the accompanying factory warranty to Harley-Davidson replacement parts. In Re: Harley-Davidson Aftermarket Parts Marketing, Sales Practices, and Antitrust Litigation, No. 23-MD-3064, 2024 WL 2846349 (E.D. Wis. June 5, 2024). The lawsuit stems from a 2022 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) action alleging Harley-Davidson violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA) by voiding warranties for repairs made using third-party parts. The MMWA is a consumer protection statute that requires transparency in warranties on consumer products and establishes minimum criteria for different types of warranties and warranty-like products. Unlike the FTC suit, however, here plaintiffs also alleged a Sherman Act Section 1 violation. But finding plaintiffs had failed to properly allege an actionable tying scheme, the Court dismissed the action in its entirety.
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U.S. District Court For The Western District Of North Carolina Denies FTC Bid To Block North Carolina Hospital Deal
06/11/2024
On June 5, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina denied the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction barring Novant Health, Inc.’s $320 million acquisition of two North Carolina hospitals, Lake Norman Regional Medical Center and Davis Regional Psychiatric Hospital, both operated by Community Health Systems, Inc. (“CHS”).
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NCAA Proposes Settlement To Class Action Antitrust Litigation
06/04/2024
On May 23, 2024, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) reached an agreement with five of the nation’s collegiate athletic conferences—the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big Ten, the Big 12, the Pac-12, and the Southeastern Conference—to allow student athletes to receive pay directly from their colleges and universities. The agreement is intended to settle In re: College Athlete NIL Litigation, Case No. 4:20-cv-03919, N.D. Cal., an ongoing antitrust class action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California involving hundreds of thousands of collegiate athletes.
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Second Circuit Affirms Dismissal Of “Pay For Delay” Case Alleging Patent Litigation Settlement Between Pharmaceutical Company And Generic Manufacturers Violated Antitrust Law
05/29/2024On May 13, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the dismissal (with prejudice) of a lawsuit that alleged certain “reverse payments” made by a patent-holding pharmaceutical company to competitor generic manufacturers to settle patent infringement litigation constituted an antitrust violation under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act (among others).
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District Of Nevada Dismisses With Prejudice Price-Algorithm Suit Against Las Vegas Strip Hotel Operators And Software Company
05/23/2024
On May 8, 2024, Judge Miranda M. Du of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada dismissed with prejudice a putative class action complaint alleging the unlawful restraint of trade via a hub-and-spoke conspiracy between and among an algorithmic pricing software company and multiple operators of hotels on the Las Vegas Strip in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Gibson v. Cendyn Group, LLC, et al, No. 2:23-CV-00140-MMD-DJA, 2024 WL 2060260 (D. Nev. May 8, 2024).
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Eastern District Of Virginia Rejects Allegations Of Fraudulent Concealment And Dismisses No-Poach Case As Time-Barred
05/07/2024
On April 19, 2024, Judge Anthony Trenga of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia granted a motion to dismiss an antitrust class action against several shipbuilding companies who supply the U.S miliary. The action was brought on behalf of a putative class of persons employed as naval architects or marine engineers by defendants. Plaintiffs alleged that defendants violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act by allegedly entering into an unwritten agreement not to affirmatively recruit one another’s naval engineers or architects. The Court ultimately concluded that the claims were barred by the Sherman Act’s four-year statute of limitations, and accordingly dismissed the action in its entirety. Scharpf, et al. v. General Dynamics Corp. et al., No. 123CV01372AJTWEF, 2024 WL 1704665 (E.D. Va. Apr. 19, 2024).
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D.C. Circuit Reverses Lower Court’s Decision To “Set Aside” Civil Investigative Demand
04/23/2024
On April 5, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed the district court’s decision to “set aside” a civil investigative demand (“CID”) issued by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) to the National Association of Realtors (“NAR”), a real estate trade association. The majority found that the issuance of the CID was not barred by the parties’ prior settlement agreement regarding different allegations. National Association of Realtors v. United States, No.23-5065, 2024 WL 1471170 (D.C. Cir. Apr. 5, 2024).
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Eastern District Of California Denies Motion To Dismiss Case Alleging Horizontal Price Fixing Conspiracy Of Real Property In Solano County
04/16/2024
On March 28, 2024, Judge Troy L. Nunley of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that California landowners conspired to drive up the price of properties in Solano County. Flannery Assoc. LLC v. Barnes Family Ranch Assoc., LLC et al., No. 2:23-CV-00927 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 28, 2024). The Court held that plaintiff had adequately alleged both direct and circumstantial evidence of a horizontal price-fixing agreement.
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Southern District Of New York Dismisses Multichannel Video Programming Distributor’s Retransmission Fee Claims For Lack Of Antitrust Standing
04/09/2024
On March 20, 2024, the Southern District of New York dismissed DirecTV’s (“Plaintiff”) claims against Nexstar Media Group, Mission Broadcasting, and White Knight Broadcasting (together, “Defendants”) for conspiring to fix prices for retransmission agreements (“RCAs”) and unlawfully sharing information in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. DirecTV LLC v. Nexstar Media Group Inc. et al., Case No. 23-cv-2221, 2024 WL 1195524 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 20, 2024) (the “Opinion”).
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Northern District Of California Grants Summary Judgment Finding That Evidence Of Valid Business Justification For Refusal-To-Deal Was Sufficient Despite Evidence Of Anticompetitive Intent
03/26/2024
On February 21, 2024, Judge Vince Chhabria of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted motions for summary judgment finding that presented evidence did not give rise to a viable refusal-to-deal claim because, even though there was evidence of a motivation to harm a competitor with the refusal, there was also evidence of a valid business justification. This ruling applies to two cases Simon and Simon, PC v. Align Tech., Inc., No. 3:20-cv-03754, 2022 WL 15523532 (N.D. Cal. Jun. 5, 2020), and Misty Snow v. Align Tech., Inc., 586 F. Supp. 3d (N.D. Cal. 2021), where plaintiffs, dental and orthodontic practices and orthodontic customers, asserted that defendant, a global medical device company who makes dental aligners under the Invisalign brand, violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act’s ban on attempts to monopolize a market.
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Eastern District Of Tennessee Says NCAA’s Rules Prohibiting Use Of Name, Image, And Likeness Agreements In Recruiting Student Athletes May Violate Sherman Act
03/26/2024
On February 23, 2024, Judge Clifton L. Corker of the Eastern District of Tennessee enjoined the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) from enforcing rules that prohibited third parties from entering into compensation agreements with student-athletes during the recruiting and transfer process as a potential violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. State of Tennessee and Commonwealth of Virginia v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, Case No. 3:24-cv-00033, 2024 WL 755528 (E.D. Tenn. Feb. 23, 2024).
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Third Circuit Rejects Petition For Mandamus And Backs Ruling Requiring Production Of Communications With Counsel Regarding Suit With “Pay-for-Delay” Settlement
03/26/2024
On March 11, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit denied a mandamus petition from AbbVie Inc. and Besins Healthcare Inc. (collectively “Petitioners”) seeking to overturn a district court order which required the production of documents prepared by in-house counsel pursuant to the crime-fraud exception to the attorney-client privilege. In re Abbott Lab’ys, No. 23-2412, 2024 WL 1040669 (3d Cir. Mar. 11, 2024). In its opinion, the Court cited the high bar for mandamus petitions, the lack of binding precedent with a similar fact pattern, and the alternative remedies that remain available to Petitioners.
Category : Antitrust