An appeals court in the U.S. state of Washington has found merit in Starkist’s appeal of a decision holding it liable for all damages caused to the state’s residents by the canned tuna price-fixing conspiracy it joined with Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea from as early as 2004 to 2015.
King County Superior Court Judge Julie A Spector’s ruling that Starkist was jointly and severally liable for all damages from the conspiracy was reversed by a three-judge panel from Washington’s Division One Court of Appeals on Tuesday, 3 January. The panel stipulated it was rejecting Starkist’s argument that it was liable to pay damages based on only its own profits, rather than the earnings of the conspiracy as a whole, but said Spector did not explain her rationale for her ruling ...
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