A California tomato company wants to revive an antitrust and racketeering lawsuit that accused a rival processor of conspiring to fix prices and suppress competition.
Morning Star Packing Co. of Williams, Calif., is seeking to convince the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that a jury trial is warranted in its litigation against Los Gatos Tomato Products of Huron, Calif., over collusion in the processed tomato market.
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit last year after determining that Los Gatos wasnât part of a bribery scheme that injured Morning Star, so it couldnât be held liable for damages under antitrust and racketeering statutes.