Why Antitrust Damage Levels Should be Raised

Authors

Robert H. Lande, University of Baltimore School of LawFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2004

Abstract

The conventional wisdom is that current antitrust damage levels are too high, lead to overdeterrence, and should be cut back. Although most agree that threefold damages are fine, at least for cartels, the combination of treble damages to direct purchasers and another treble damages to indirect purchasers typically is denounced as duplicative, a "mess," or the equivalent of the use of "cluster bombs" on defendants. This article, however, will assert the opposite. This article will argue that, if the current antitrust damage levels are examined carefully, they do not even total treble damages, and overall are not high enough to deter antitrust violations optimally.

Recommended Citation

Why Antitrust Damage Levels Should be Raised, 16 Loy. Consumer L. Rev. 329 (2004)