Collins Wholesale Distributing Company v. E. & J. Gallo Winery

Collins Wholesale Distributing Company, a rejected applicant for a wine distributorship, brought this action against E. & J. Gallo Winery, pursuant to the North Carolina Wine Distribution Agreements Act, N.C.Gen.Stat. §§ 18B-1200, et seq. (1983) (Act). The district court held Collins had standing to pursue its claim. We hold, pursuant to Empire Distributors of North Carolina, Inc. v. Schieffelin & Co., 859 F.2d 1200 (4th Cir.1988), that Collins lacked standing to bring this action under the Act and reverse.

I

In January of 1986, plaintiff Collins Wholesale Distributing Company contracted with…