United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

United States v. Guy W. Capps., Inc., 348 U.S. 296 (1955)

United States v. Guy W. Capps., Inc.

No. 14

Argued November 15, 1954

Decided February 7, 1955

348 U.S. 296

Syllabus

In order to prevent interference with its potato price support program under the Agricultural Act of 1948, the United States exchanged diplomatic correspondence with Canada under which the latter agreed to permit the export of no potatoes to the United States except seed potatoes and to obtain assurances that they would not be diverted or reconsigned for table stock purposes. In importing seed potatoes from Canada, respondent gave such assurance to the exporter. Claiming that such assurance constituted a contract made for its benefit, and that respondent had violated it by selling such potatoes for table stock purposes, the United States sued respondent for damages alleged to have resulted from the United States' being forced to purchase an equivalent amount of domestic potatoes.

Held: on the record, there was no clear error in the District Court's directing a verdict for respondent on the ground that the evidence was not sufficient to prove the alleged breach of contract, and the judgment is affirmed on that ground alone. Pp. 348 U. S. 296-305.

204 F.2d 655, affirmed on other grounds.