Rutman Wine Company v. E. & J. Gallo Winery
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
829 F.2d 729 (1987)

- Written by Sean Carroll, JD
Facts
Rutman Wine Company (Rutman) (plaintiff) was a wine distributor that distributed wine made by E. & J. Gallo Winery (Gallo) (defendant). Gallo’s wine accounted for approximately 25 percent of Rutman’s sales. After approximately 40 years, Gallo terminated its distribution agreement with Rutman. Rutman sued Gallo, alleging a violation of §§ 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act in that Gallo sought to restrain trade and monopolize the wine market in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Rutman alleged that Gallo had provided favorable terms and other assistance to Wine Distributors, Inc. (WDI) that was not provided to Rutman and other distributors in the county. The district court dismissed Rutman’s complaint. Rutman appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Stotler, J.)
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