Court Opinion

ID: 9450941
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 17:01:15.543013+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:32:30.212603
License: Public Domain

*762J. SKELLY WRIGHT, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
It appears to me that the court’s opinion runs counter to the developing jurisprudence 1 under Section 21 of the Shipping Act of 1916. 39 Stat. 736, 46 U.S.C. § 820. To suggest authoritatively, as the court does, that the Commission may not have access to the books and records of the carrier to verify the carrier’s financial report filed with the Commission is to interfere with the regulatory power conferred on the Commission by Congress. One wonders what use the Commission can make of a financial report it is not allowed to verify. It would appear, to me at least, that if Section 21 provides legal authorization for requiring the report, it should likewise be legal authorization for verifying it. I would not attribute to Congress, as the court apparently does, a purpose to require the Commission to accept the report on faith alone.
I respectfully dissent.

. See Isbrandtsen-Moller Co. v. United States, 300 U.S. 139, 57 S.Ct. 407, 81 L.Ed. 562 (1937); Far East Conference v. Federal Maritime Commission, 119 U.S. App.D.C. 110, 337 F.2d 146 (1964), cert. denied, 379 U.S. 991, 85 S.Ct. 704, 705, 13 L.Ed.2d 611 (1965); Pacific Westbound Conference v. United States, 9 Cir., 332 F.2d 49 (1964); Montship Lines, Limited v. Federal Maritime Board, 111 U.S.App.D.C. 160, 295 F.2d 147 (1961); Hellenic Lines, Limited v. Federal Maritime Board, 111 U.S.App.D.C. 151, 295 F.2d 138 (1961); and Kerr Steamship Company v. United States, 2 Cir., 284 F.2d 61 (1960), appeal dismissed as moot, 369 U.S. 422, 82 S.Ct. 874, 7 L.Ed.2d 847 (1962).