Indirect purchasers do not need to have provided consideration in order to be assigned federal antitrust claims and gain direct purchaser standing, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled on Wednesday.
In Wallach v. Eaton Corp., a three-judge panel of the appeals court overturned the dismissal of Tauro Brothers Trucking Co.’s putative class action against trucking parts manufacturer Eaton Corp., seeking damages stemming from an alleged monopolization conspiracy that ousted an emerging competitor from the market. The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware had denied Tauro class certification and tossed the case in its entirety for lack of federal jurisdiction under Article III of the Constitution.
