Ricky Hasbrouck, Dba Rick's Texaco v. Texaco, Inc., a Foreign Corporation

Twelve service station owners successfully sued Texaco, Inc., for price discrimination under the federal antitrust laws. Texaco appeals the jury verdict and the district court’s denial of its motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or, in the alternative, a new trial. We find that each of Texaco’s aguments on appeal is without merit and, accordingly, affirm the decision of the district court, 634 F.Supp. 34 .

I. Background

Ricky Hasbrouck and eleven other plaintiffs were Texaco retail service station dealers in the Spokane area; they purchased gasoline directly from Texaco and resold it at retail under the Texaco trademark. Throughout the relevant time period Texaco also supplied gasoline to John Dompier Oil Company and Gull Oil Company at a price that was at various times between 2.50 and 5.75e per gallon lower than the price Hasbrouck paid. Dompier and Gull sold the gasoline they purchased from Texaco to independent retail service stations. Dompier sold the gasoline to retailers under the Texaco trademark; Gull marketed it under private brand names. Some of the retail stations supplied by Dompier and Gull were owned and operated by the suppliers’ salaried…