Opinion ID: 414319
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: 33 The defendants also challenge the district court's finding that the plaintiff, RBLC, was injured as the result of the defendants' unlawful conduct and thus entitled to a treble damages award under Sec. 4 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C.A. Sec. 15. 9 To recover under this section, the plaintiff must establish with some reasonable probability the existence of some causal connection between defendant's wrongful action and some loss of anticipated revenue. Flintkote Co. v. Lysfjord, 246 F.2d 368, 392 (9th Cir.1957); Inglis, 668 F.2d at 1051. 34 The district court's findings of damage to the plaintiff may only be overturned if clearly erroneous. Fed.R.Civ.P. 52(a). It has long been held that a finding is 'clearly erroneous' when, although there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire evidence is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed. United States v. United States Gypsum Co., et al, 333 U.S. 364, 395, 68 S.Ct. 525, 542, 92 L.Ed. 746 (1948); United States v. Missouri River Breaks Hunt Club, 641 F.2d 689, 694 (9th Cir.1981). 35 Moreover, the clearly erroneous standard as applied in the present case is tempered by the repeated holdings of the Supreme Court that a lightened burden of proof is imposed on a plaintiff seeking to prove antitrust damages once violations of the law have been established. Zenith Radio Corp. v. Hazeltine Research, Inc., 395 U.S. 100, 123, 89 S.Ct. 1562, 1576, 23 L.Ed.2d 129 (1969); 10 Eastman Kodak Co. v. Southern Materials, Inc., 273 U.S. 359, 377-79, 47 S.Ct. 400, 404-05, 71 L.Ed. 684 (1927); Knutson v. Daily Review, Inc., 548 F.2d 795, 811 (9th Cir.1976), cert. denied, 433 U.S. 910, 97 S.Ct. 2977, 53 L.Ed.2d 1094 (1977). 36 Despite the long-standing nature of the conspiracy and RBLC's active involvement in the relevant market at all times pertaining thereto, RBLC's claim for damages on this appeal is limited to its loss of revenue at a single logging site, Muddy River No. 3. 11 The damages awarded by the district court rest on the notion that RBLC, in an unrestrained market, could have operated Muddy River No. 3 as an independent purchase logger from 1972-1974. After an exhaustive review of the voluminous record, we find adequate support for the district court's findings of fact and therefore reject the contentions of the defendants that these findings are clearly erroneous.