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''American Society of Mechanical Engineers v. Hydrolevel Corporation'', , is a United States Supreme Court case where a non-profit association, for the first time, was held liable for treble damages under the Sherman Antitrust Act due to antitrust violations.〔Association Law Handbook, Fourth Edition (2007) Jerald A. Jacobs, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership.〕 In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court held an association liable when its agents appeared to be acting under the authority of the association. Such action is called apparent authority. The court determined that a non-profit association is liable when it fails to prevent antitrust violation through the misuse of the association’s reputation by its agents (including lower level staff and unpaid volunteers).〔Professional Practices in Association Management, Second Edition, (2007) Executive Editor John, B. Cox; ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership.〕 == Background == In 1982 the U.S. Supreme Court held that American Society of Mechanical Engineers (a nonprofit association) was responsible for treble damages under the ''Sherman Act''. In 1971 the engineering firm of McDonnell and Miller requested an interpretation of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code from the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes Committee. McDonnell and Miller planned to use the response to show that one of their competitors (Hydrolevel Corp) was selling a device not in compliance with the ASME BPV Code. Unknown to ASME's leadership 〔 the volunteer chairman of the ASME committee wrote a response to McDonnell and Miller's inquiry that was later used by a McDonnell and Miller salesmen as proof of Hydrolevel's noncompliance. Subsequently, according to Hydrolevel, it never acquired sufficient market penetration for sustaining business, and eventually went bankrupt. Hydrolevel sued McDonnell and Miller, the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company and ASME arguing that two ASME subcommittee members acted not only in the self-interest of their companies, but also in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Inc. v. Hydrolevel Corp.」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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