In re Vitamins Antitrust Litigation
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
120 F. Supp. 2d 45 (2000)
- Written by David Bloom, JD
Facts
Vitamin buyers and sellers (plaintiffs) filed class-action lawsuits, accusing various foreign companies (defendants) of engaging in an antitrust price-fixing conspiracy. Six of the foreign companies hailed from members countries of the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters (Hague Evidence Convention). Two of the foreign companies, ECL (defendant), a Japanese company, and UCB S.A. (defendant), a Belgium company, were from countries that had not signed the Hague Evidence Convention. The foreign companies collectively moved to dismiss the class actions, arguing lack of personal jurisdiction. The district court denied the motions without prejudice and permitted discovery limited to the issue of jurisdiction. The foreign defendants objected to the jurisdictional discovery and sought protective orders, arguing that the Hague Evidence Convention procedures should be followed. The dispute was referred to a Special Master, who issued a report to the district court for the judge’s consideration.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Hogan, J.)
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