Forum

U.S. Supreme Court

Case Status

Decided

Docket Number

05-1126

Term

2006 Term

Oral Argument Date

November 27, 2006

Share

Questions Presented

Whether a complaint states a claim under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1, if it alleges that the defendants engaged in parallel conduct and adds a bald assertion that the defendants were participants in a "conspiracy," without any allegations that, if later proved true, would establish the existence of a conspiracy under the applicable legal standard.

Case Updates

Supreme Court clarifies pleading of antitrust conspiracy

May 21, 2007

Agreeing with NCLC, the Supreme Court clarified that antitrust plaintiffs must have plausible grounds for believing a conspiracy exists beyond the fact of parallel conduct and rejected lower standards for allowing antitrust lawsuits to proceed through the judicial process. The high court rejected the Second Circuit's decision in the case.

U.S. Chamber files amicus brief

August 25, 2006

NCLC filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to reject lower standards for allowing antitrust lawsuits to proceed through the judicial process. In the case, the Second Circuit overturned a district court’s dismissal of a complaint filed against four major telecommunication providers. The complaint alleged that the companies’ failure to compete in each other’s markets constituted a conspiracy sufficient to establish an agreement to restrain trade. NCLC pointed out in its brief that businesses are often engaged in parallel activities, and without having an evidentiary requirement to prove a conspiracy, any business might find itself unfairly targeted for antitrust allegations.

Cert. petition granted

June 26, 2006

U.S. Chamber urges Supreme Court to review pleading of antitrust conspiracy

April 06, 2006

Click here to view the Chamber's amicus brief in support of the petition for writ of certiorari.

Case Documents

Search