United States v. Trans-Missouri Freight Association
Encyclopedia
United States v. Trans-Missouri Freight Association, 166 U.S. 290
(1897), was a United States Supreme Court
case holding that the Sherman Act (which was an antitrust
measure that prohibited anticompetitive behavior in commerce) applied to the railroad industry, even though the U.S. Congress had enacted a comprehensive regime of regulations for that injury.
Various railroad companies had formed an organization to regulate prices charged for transportation. The federal government charged these companies with violating the Sherman Act, and the railroad companies replied that they were not in violation of the act because their organization was designed to keep prices low, not to push them higher. The Supreme Court disagreed, holding that the Sherman Act prohibited all such combinations, irrespective of the purpose.
The companies also contended that Congress had not intended the Sherman Act to apply to them, because there were already a wide array of laws governing the railroads. The Court also rejected this argument, noting that no exception was stated in the Sherman Act.
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(1897), was a United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
case holding that the Sherman Act (which was an antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
measure that prohibited anticompetitive behavior in commerce) applied to the railroad industry, even though the U.S. Congress had enacted a comprehensive regime of regulations for that injury.
Various railroad companies had formed an organization to regulate prices charged for transportation. The federal government charged these companies with violating the Sherman Act, and the railroad companies replied that they were not in violation of the act because their organization was designed to keep prices low, not to push them higher. The Supreme Court disagreed, holding that the Sherman Act prohibited all such combinations, irrespective of the purpose.
The companies also contended that Congress had not intended the Sherman Act to apply to them, because there were already a wide array of laws governing the railroads. The Court also rejected this argument, noting that no exception was stated in the Sherman Act.