UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ON-LINE

U.S. Supreme Court

Maryland v. United States, 460 U.S. 1001 (1983)

Maryland v. United States

Nos. 82-953, 82-953, 82992, 821001

Decided February 28, 1983

460 U.S. 1001

The judgment is affirmed.

MR. JUSTICE REHNQUIST, with whom THE CHIEF JUSTICE and JUSTICE WHITE join, dissenting from summary affirmance.

These consolidated cases raise questions concerning the settlement of a civil antitrust suit brought by the United States against American Telephone & Telegraph Co. ("AT & T"). In January, 1982, the parties announced a settlement in the form of a consent decree. The proposed settlement was filed in the District Court for the District of Columbia, which ordered the start of procedures provided for in the Antitrust Procedures & Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. § 16(b) et seq. ("the Act").

The Act provides:

"Before entering any consent judgment proposed by the United States under this Section, the court shall determine that the entry of such judgment is in the public interest."