Antitrust Procedural Improvements Act of 1979

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

8 February 1979

Last action

12 September 1980 · Became law

Status

Public Law 96-349.

Summary

Antitrust Procedural Improvements Act of 1979 - Amends the Antitrust Civil Process Act to authorize the Attorney General or the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division to issue civil investigative demands for depositions, interrogatories, documents, and other specified items produced during the discovery phase of private lawsuits and other proceedings. Sets forth procedures for the issuance and return of such demands. Declares that such demands supercede any inconsistent protective order, rule, or provision of law restraining disclosure of products of discovery. Stipulates that any disclosure made pursuant to such a demand shall not constitute a waiver of privilege. Permits any person retained or consulted by the Department of Justice in connection with the enforcement of the antitrust laws to examine documentary material obtained pursuant to an investigative demand. Establishes procedures to enable any person to challenge an investigative demand for products of discovery. Subjects any attorney or other person engaging in unreasonable dilatory conduct to personal liability for any resulting excess costs, expenses, and attorney's fees. Makes an unsuccessful defendant in an antitrust damage suit liable for interest at the prevailing commercial rate on the plaintiff's actual damages from the date of service of the complaint to the date of judgment. Empowers the courts to reduce or deny an award of such interest if justice requires. Amends the Clayton Act to give judgments in antitrust actions brought by the United States collateral estoppel effect in subsequent litigation. Empowers the Department of Justice to contest mergers indirectly affecting commerce.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

8 February 1979
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
8 February 1979
Introduced
Referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
9 July 1979
Reported
Reported to Senate from the Committee on the Judiciary with amendment, S. Rept. 96-238.
Source: Committee
9 July 1979
Reported
Reported to Senate from the Committee on the Judiciary with amendment, S. Rept. 96-238.
Source: Committee
20 July 1979
Floor
Call of calendar in Senate.
Source: Floor
20 July 1979
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Measure passed Senate, amended.
Source: Floor
24 July 1979
Introduced
Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
12 June 1980
Discharge
Committee on the Judiciary discharged in House.
Source: Discharge
12 June 1980
ResolvingDifferences
Conference scheduled in House.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
12 June 1980
Passed
Inserted provisions of H.R. 4046, H.R. 4048, H.R. 4050, H.R. 4049, and H.R. 5949 as passed House.
Source: Committee
12 June 1980
Passed
Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 4048.
Source: Floor
12 June 1980
Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 4048.
Source: Floor
12 June 1980
Floor
Measure considered in House.
Source: Floor
12 June 1980
Committee
Committee on the Judiciary discharged in House.
Source: Committee
17 June 1980
ResolvingDifferences
Conference scheduled in Senate.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
18 August 1980
Passed
Senate agreed to conference report.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
18 August 1980
Passed
Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
20 August 1980
ResolvingDifferences
Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1234.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
20 August 1980
ResolvingDifferences
Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 96-1234.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
28 August 1980
President
Measure enrolled in Senate.
Source: President
28 August 1980
President
Measure enrolled in House.
Source: President
28 August 1980
Passed
House agreed to conference report.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
28 August 1980
Passed
Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
2 September 1980
Floor
Measure presented to President.
Source: Floor
2 September 1980
President
Measure presented to President.
Source: President
12 September 1980
President
Signed by President.
Source: President
12 September 1980
President
Public Law 96-349.
Source: President
12 September 1980
Became law
Signed by President.
Source: BecameLaw

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

6 official files

Public Law (PDF)

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Leesvertaling

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Public Law (PDF)
Public Law · EN · 16 September 1980
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Conference report filed in House
summary · EN · 20 August 1980
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Passed House amended
summary · EN · 12 June 1980
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Passed Senate amended
summary · EN · 20 July 1979
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Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 9 July 1979
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Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 8 February 1979
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Related records

related to → Antitrust Collateral Estoppel Act of 1979
related to → A bill to amend sections 4, 4A, and 4C of the Clayton Act to authorize awards of prejudgment interest in antitrust litigation.
related to → Amendments to Section 7 of the Clayton Act of 1979
related to → Antitrust Civil Process Act Amendments of 1979
related to → A bill to amend the Antitrust Civil Process Act to authorize the Department of Justice to use agents in connection with the enforcement of the antitrust laws.

Related across the Repo ecosystem

Direct relationships are identifier-backed. Topic context means shared TopicMembership — not a citation and not causation.

Direct relationships

Legal framework · Antitrust Procedural Improvements Act of 1979 · S. 390 (96th) · US

Identifier matchPROJECTS_FROM
Same us record 96-s-390 projected from PoliticalRepo US row.
Antitrust Procedural Improvements Act of 1979

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/96th-congress/senate-bill/390
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/96/s/390
us · 96-s-390 · source updated 10 August 2026