Seatrain Lines, Inc. v. Gloria Manufacturing Corp.

Gloria Manufacturing Corporation (Gloria) sued Seatrain Lines, Inc., alleging that Seatrain had misclassified cargo and consequently imposed a higher tariff rate than that sanctioned by the Federal Maritime Commission. The district court awarded Gloria $44.38, and it appealed to the circuit court. Seatrain filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, asserting that the Federal Maritime Commission had primary jurisdiction over the claim. The circuit court denied the motion and, after hearing the evidence, entered judgment for Gloria in the amount of $1,822.36.

The sole question in this…