The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear CSX Transportation’s appeal, effectively ending the freight rail company’s antitrust lawsuit against rival Norfolk Southern Railway. CSX had accused Norfolk Southern of unlawfully restricting access to the Norfolk International Terminals in Virginia, alleging that the actions resulted in significant financial losses.
The case dates back to 2018, when CSX filed the lawsuit, claiming that Norfolk Southern, in collaboration with the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad Co., imposed excessive fees for services at the terminal. CSX argued that this practice hindered its ability to compete effectively in the transportation of goods from the terminal.
However, the Supreme Court’s decision to not take up the case upholds the lower court’s ruling that CSX’s claims were filed beyond the four-year statute of limitations for antitrust violations. The court determined that the alleged anticompetitive practices did not constitute new harm within the limitations period, thereby barring CSX’s claims.
In response to the ruling, CSX expressed disappointment but reaffirmed its commitment to seeking competitive access to the Norfolk terminal through other means. Norfolk Southern, on the other hand, welcomed the decision, viewing it as a resolution to what it described as a prolonged and meritless legal challenge.
This development underscores the importance of adhering to statutory deadlines in antitrust litigation and may influence future cases concerning the interpretation of the statute of limitations in similar contexts.
