T. S. ALPHIN AND ALPHIN AIRCRAFT, INC., APPELLANTS,
v.
RICHARD HENSON ET AL., APPELLEES

4th Cir. | 1976-05-17
No. 75-1635
Before WINTER, Circuit Judge, FIELD, Senior Circuit Judge, and MERHIGE, District Judge.
538 F.2d 85 United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1976) Positive Treatment
Cited by 6 cases

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Holding

Attorneys' fees cannot be awarded in this antitrust case because the plaintiffs failed to prove damages, and other theories for recovery are foreclosed by precedent.


Facts & Procedural History

Plaintiffs sued defendants for violations of Section 2 of the Sherman Act, seeking damages and injunctive relief. The district court granted injunctiv…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM:

PER CURIAM:

T. S. Alphin and Alphin Aircraft, Inc., instituted this action against Richard Henson and Henson Aviation, Inc., together with the City of Hagerstown, Maryland, charging the defendants with violations of Section 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2. The plaintiffs sought damages as well as injunctive relief.

The district court found that Henson had attempted to monopolize and granted injunctive relief under Section 16 of the Clayton Act,1 but concluded that the plaintiffs had failed to prove that they had suffered any injury as a result of Henson’s conduct and declined to award damages under Section 4 of the Act.2 The court granted the plaintiffs’ prayer for costs but refused their request for attorneys’ fees, and the sole issue raised on this appeal is the denial of such fees.

We agree with the district judge that attorneys’ fees could not properly be awarded in this case. As stated in Byram Concretanks, Inc. v. Warren Concrete Prod. Co. of N. J., 374 F. 2d 649, 651 (3 Cir. 1967):

“In a long line of cases the courts have interpreted this section of the Clayton Act not to permit plaintiffs to recover attorneys’ fees unless treble damages are awarded, regardless of whether injunctive relief is granted. Clabaugh v. Southern Wholesale Grocers Association, 181 F. 706 (C.C.Ala.1910); Decorative Stone Co. v. Building Trades Council of Westchester County, 23 F. 2d 426 (2nd Cir. 1928); Allen Bradley Co. v. Local Union No. 3, I. B. of E. Workers, 51 F.Supp. 36 (D.C.N.Y.1943); Alden-Rochelle, Inc. v. American Soc. of C., A. and P., 80 F.Supp. 888 (D.C.N.Y.1948).”

The failure of the plaintiffs to prevail upon their claim for damages precluded any recovery for attorneys’ fees under Section 4, and the other theories urged upon us for the recovery of such fees are foreclosed under Alyeska Pipeline Co. v. Wilderness Society, 421 U.S. 240, 95 S.Ct. 1612, 44 L.Ed.2d 141 (1975).

The judgment of the district court is affirmed.

AFFIRMED.

. 15 U.S.C. § 26.

. 15 U.S.C. § 15.


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