Verizon Communications Inc. v. Law Offices of Curtis V. Trinko, LLP
United States Supreme Court
540 U.S. 398 (2004)
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 required incumbent local exchange carriers like Verizon Communications Inc. (defendant), New York's incumbent carrier, to let competitors use its local telephone networks; Trinko (plaintiff) bought phone service from one of Verizon's competitors and sued, alleging Verizon violated § 2 of the Sherman Act by discriminating against competitors using its network. The district court dismissed, the court of appeals reversed, and Verizon appealed.
Whether (1) a defendant's refusal to coordinate with competitors generally violates § 2 of the Sherman Act, and (2) there is any additional antitrust scrutiny in industries that have regulatory structures in place to address anticompetitive conduct.