American Banana Co. v. United Fruit Co. case brief

American Banana Co. v. United Fruit Co. case brief summary
213 U.S. 347 (1909)

CASE SYNOPSIS

Plaintiff appealed a judgment for defendant by the a trial court which was affirmed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in an action brought to recover threefold damages under the Act to Protect Trade against Monopolies, 26 Stat. 209.

CASE FACTS
This was an action brought to recover threefold damages under the Act to Protect Trade against Monopolies, 26 Stat. 209. The trial court dismissed the complaint upon motion, as not setting forth a cause of action.

DISCUSSION

• This judgment was affirmed by the court of appeals, and the case then was brought to the United States Supreme Court by writ of error. 
• Plaintiff argued that as a result of defendant's acts it had been deprived of the use of a plantation and a railway and that the plantation and supplies had been injured. 
• Plaintiff also alleged a wrongful conspiracy resulting in driving plaintiff out of business. 
• The judgment was affirmed on appeal because a conspiracy in the United States to do acts in another jurisdiction did not draw to itself those acts and make them unlawful, if they were permitted by the local law.

CONCLUSION
The judgment for defendant was affirmed on appeal because defendant's actions, although illegal in the United States, were permitted by the local law in the foreign jurisdiction at issue.


***
Shop Amazon for the best prices on Law School Course Materials.