Opinion ID: 409686
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Arguments Raised on Appeal

Text: 24 The defendants raise a host of challenges to the trial results. They fall into three general categories.
25 The defendants argue that they could not as a matter of law have conspired to violate Section 1 of the Sherman Act, because they are not sufficiently distinct entities under our decision in Photovest Corp. v. Fotomat Corp., 606 F.2d 704 (7th Cir. 1979), certiorari denied, 445 U.S. 917, 100 S.Ct. 1278, 63 L.Ed.2d 601. They also argue that the evidence was insufficient to prove that Regal entered into a conspiracy with Copperweld as of the sending of their lawyer's February 19, 1973 warning letter to Yoder, and that evidence of Regal's and Copperweld's conduct after that date was improperly admitted. Finally, the defendants argue that the plaintiff's failure to demonstrate harm to competition vitiates the judgment either because no antitrust injury was shown (as required by Brunswick Corp. v. Pueblo Bowl-O-Mat, Inc., 429 U.S. 477, 97 S.Ct. 690, 50 L.Ed.2d 701), or because the appropriate Rule of Reason inquiry was never undertaken.
26 Copperweld maintains that the separate tortious interference with Yoder judgment cannot stand because Copperweld was legally privileged to take the actions it did to protect its interests. Copperweld contends that its privilege argument went unrebutted by Independence, and that the district judge erred in not instructing the jury on the claimed privilege. 27
28 The defendants argue that they presented enough evidence to warrant sending their counterclaims to the jury. In the alternative they argue that the district judge's exclusion of proffered evidence in support of the counterclaims was error and requires a new trial.
29 The defendants argue that Independence's damage theory was based on methodologically flawed testimony of an unqualified expert and on unsubstantiated opinions and assumptions. They also claim to have been prejudiced by the district judge's instruction on the congruence in this case between antitrust and tortious interference damages.