Federal and state laws protect consumers from businesses that behave so unethically their practices are illegal. For example, artificially inflating or fixing prices to ensure large profits or to kick out new competition just feels unfair, it’s also prohibited. Today, the typical situation in which antitrust laws are invoked is when two large companies merge creating, in effect, a monopoly.
Federal Antitrust Laws
The primary federal antitrust laws are the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Clayton Act, and the Federal Trade Commission Act. These federal laws try to prevent monopolies and lack of business competition, which can harm consumers, by prohibiting things like creating monopolies, rigging contract bids, boycotting specific companies in any industry to prevent new comers from succeeding, etc. Connecticut also has enacted an antitrust law to address these types of concerns.
How to Make an Antitrust Complaint in Connecticut
The Connecticut Office of the Attorney General enforces the antitrust laws in the state. If you want to inform them of a business who may be violating the antitrust laws, you can fill out a complaint form. You can also call the Consumer Assistance Unit at 860-808-5420. However, note that the Attorney General represents the state and not you as an individual. You will need to hire your own attorney to sue any antitrust violators who’ve harmed you.
The following chart explains some of the main Connecticut antitrust laws for consumers.
| Code Sections | Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 624: Connecticut Antitrust Act |
| What is Prohibited? | The types of activities that are prohibited by the Connecticut Antitrust Act are:
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| Private Lawsuits | Yes, it’s possible to sue in civil court for your losses because of antitrust violations. However, the attorney general also can sue violators of the antitrust laws. |
| Time Limit to Bring Claim | Lawsuits must be started within a certain amount of time from when the incident occurs. These laws are called “statute of limitations.†For antitrust violations, you must sue within 4 years of the violation or your knowledge of the violation. |
| Attorneys’ Fees | A plaintiff who wins their antitrust case can recover their attorney fees. |
Antitrust laws can be complicated, if you want to learn more about them or think you were wronged by a business violating these rules, you should consult with an experienced Connecticut antitrust lawyer.
Note: State laws are regularly revised, so it’s best to contact an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify these state laws.
Research the Law
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