UNITED STATES v. F.C.C.

Nos. 77-1249 and 77-1252 to 77-1254.

652 F.2d 72 (1980)

UNITED STATES of America, Appellant, v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, Satellite Business Systems, Intervenor. AMERICAN SATELLITE CORPORATION and Fairchild Industries, Inc., Appellants, v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, Satellite Business Systems, Intervenor. The WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY, Appellant, v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, Satellite Business Systems, Intervenor. AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY, Appellant, v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, Satellite Business Systems, Intervenor.

United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit.

Decided March 7, 1980.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Barry Grossman, Atty., Dept. of Justice, Washington, D. C., with whom Richard O. Levine, Atty., Dept. of Justice, Washington, D. C., was on brief, for appellant United States of America. Carl D. Lawson, Atty., Dept. of Justice, Washington, D. C., entered an appearance for appellant United States of America.

Thomas H. Wall, Washington, D. C., with whom Daniel M. Redmond, and Richard R. Molleur, Washington, D. C., Michael D. Campbell, and Stuart G. Meister, Germantown, Md., were on brief, for appellants American Satellite Corp. and Fairchild Industries, Inc.

William Warfield Ross, William R. Weissman, David B. Weinberg, and Joel Yohalem, Washington, D. C., were on brief, for appellant The Western Union Telegraph Company.

Edgar Mayfield, Edmund B. Raftis, James D. Ellis, Bedminester, N. J., F. Mark Garlinghouse, and Alfred C. Partoll, New York City, were on brief, for appellant American Telephone and Telegraph Co.

David J. Saylor, Deputy Gen. Counsel, F. C. C., Washington, D. C., with whom Daniel M. Armstrong, Associate Gen. Counsel, and Jack David Smith and Roberta L. Cook, Counsel, F. C. C., Washington, D. C., were on brief, for appellee. Werner K. Hartenberger, Counsel, F. C. C., Washington, D. C., entered an appearance for appellee.

William E. Willis, New York City, with whom W. Theodore Pierson, Harold David Cohen, and William D. English, Washington, D. C., were on brief, for intervenor Satellite Business Systems.

Daniel C. Schwartz, Deputy Director, F. T. C., and Albert A. Foer, Associate Director, F. T. C., Washington, D. C., were on brief, for amicus curiae Federal Trade Commission.

Before WRIGHT, Chief Judge, and TAMM, LEVENTHAL, SPOTTSWOOD W. ROBINSON, III, MacKINNON, and WILKEY, Circuit Judges.


Argued En Banc September 24, 1979.

Opinion for the court filed by Chief Judge J. SKELLY WRIGHT.

Dissenting opinion, in which Circuit Judge WILKEY joins, filed by Circuit Judge SPOTTSWOOD W. ROBINSON, III.

J. SKELLY WRIGHT, Chief Judge:

These appeals are the most recent stage in a process beginning in 1966, during the course of which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has nurtured a dynamic new medium: domestic satellite communication...

Let's get started

Leagle.com

Welcome to the leading source of independent legal reporting
Sign on now to see your case.
Or view more than 10 million decisions and orders.

  • Updated daily.
  • Uncompromising quality.
  • Complete, Accurate, Current.

Listed below are the cases that are cited in this Featured Case. Click the citation to see the full text of the cited case. Citations are also linked in the body of the Featured Case.

Cited Cases

  • No Cases Found

Listed below are those cases in which this Featured Case is cited. Click on the case name to see the full text of the citing case.

Citing Cases