Richfield Oil Corp. v. United States

The plaintiff, Richfield Oil Corporation, filed this action in the District Court for the Northern District of California, asking for declaratory relief and an injunction against the United States of America, United States Department of Commerce, Maritime Administration of the United States, Department of Commerce, and L. C. Fleming, Pacific Coast Director, Maritime Administration, Department of Commerce. Service has been validly made on but two defendants, the United States and L. C. Fleming. The United States filed a motion to dismiss, contending in particular that this court does not have jurisdiction of the subject matter of the action as now pleaded.

The dispute between the parties arises out of a series of time charters between them, by which the United States chartered various tankers of the Richfield Oil Corporation during the second world war.

In 1932 the Supreme Court decided Matson Navigation Co. v. United States, 284 U. S. 352 , 52 S.Ct. 162 , 76 L.Ed. 336 , which concerned a dispute arising out of charters by the United States of Matson vessels during the first world war. The Court concluded that disputes arising out of charters by the United States of privately…