Citation: Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544 (2007)
Facts of the Case:
Plaintiffs, subscribers to local phone and internet services, sued Bell Atlantic and other local telephone companies, alleging violations of antitrust laws. They claimed that the companies conspired not to compete with each other, allowing each local phone company to monopolize its own market
Issue:
The main issue was what a plaintiff must plead in order to state a claim under Section 1 of the Sherman Act.
Parties:
Plaintiffs:
William Twombly and Lawrence Marcus, representing a class of consumers
Defendants:
Bell Atlantic Corporation, BellSouth Corporation, Qwest Communications International Inc., SBC Communications Inc., and Verizon Communications Inc
Judgment:
The Supreme Court of the United States held that parallel conduct alone, without evidence of an agreement, is insufficient to sustain an antitrust action under Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The court ruled that a complaint must contain enough factual matter to suggest that an agreement was made
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