Case: OMNIA COMMERCIAL COMPANY v. THE UNITED STATES
Abbreviation: Omnia Commercial Co. v. United States
Decision Date: 1923-04-09
Docket Number: 
Citation: 58 Ct. Cl. 707
Volume: 58
Reporter: United States Court of Claims Reports
Court: Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction: United States
Parties: OMNIA COMMERCIAL COMPANY v. THE UNITED STATES.
Judges: 
Pages: 707–707

Head Matter:
OMNIA COMMERCIAL COMPANY v. THE UNITED STATES.
[56 C. Cls. 392 ; 261 U.S. 502.]
Judgment was rendered in favor of the United States in the court below. On appeal the judgment was affirmed, and the Supreme Court decided:
A valuable contract right is property within the meaning of the fifth amendment, and when taken for public use must be paid for by the Government; but when it is lost or injured as a consequence of lawful governmental action not a taking, the law affords no remedy.
When the Government, for war purposes, requisitioned the entire production of a steel manufacturer, rendering impossible and unlawful of performance an outstanding contract between the manufacturer and a customer, the customer’s rights were not taken by the Government, but frustrated by its lawful action.

Opinion:
Mr. Justice Sutherland
delivered the opinion of the Supreme Court April 9, 1923.