Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp.

OPINION OF THE COURT

SEITZ, Chief Judge.

This certified interlocutory appeal from a pretrial order of the district court raises an issue that currently is the subject of much debate: In an action for treble damages under the antitrust and antidumping laws, do the parties- have a right to trial by jury without regard to the practical ability of a jury to decide the case properly?

I

This litigation began in the District of New Jersey with the complaint of National Union Electric Corp. (NUE). A corporate successor to the Emerson Radio Co., NUE was a major domestic producer of television receivers…