Louisiana power companies sold coal-ash to the concrete community. All power companies hired the same marketing agent. The marketing agent sold the coal-ash at inflated prices, thereby utilizing its vertical distribution agreements to effectuate a price-fixing monopoly.
MRD filed vertical antitrust lawsuit to challenge price-fixing scheme.
Vertical distribution marketing agency and power company vigorously defended antitrust action. Defendants argued that agreements were neither horizontal price fixing agreements nor vertical agreements in the restraint of trade.
Distributor hired MRD because his marketing agency agreement was terminated, so commodity vendor could participate in price-fixing scheme.
MRD hired prominent antitrust expert to evaluate the nature of the agreements between multiple commodity vendors and marketing distribution agency.
MRD filed its antitrust action against the several defendants in the 18th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Point Coupee.
MRD successfully defended defendants’ motion for summary judgments and exceptions in both the state and appellate courts.
MRD negotiated a multi-million dollar settlement with the defendants due to the alleged antitrust violations.