In re Eastman Kodak Co.

7 F.R.D. 760, 1947 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1777
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedApril 3, 1947
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 7 F.R.D. 760 (In re Eastman Kodak Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Eastman Kodak Co., 7 F.R.D. 760, 1947 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1777 (W.D.N.Y. 1947).

Opinion

KNIGHT, District Judge.

This is a motion made pursuant to Rule 17(c) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, 18 U.S.C.A. following section 687, to quash and vacate a subpoena duces tecum commanding the Eastman Kodak Company to appear before it to testify and produce documents therein demanded. The motion is made uptfn the ground that the subpoena is so broad, sweeping, vague and indefinite that compliance therewith would be unreasonable and oppressive and that it constitutes an abuse of the process of this' Court, an illegal search and seizure in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and denial of due process of law in violation of the Fifth Amendment.

In support of the motion, the Eastman Kodak Company (hereinafter called Company) has submitted affidavits of the Secretary and Assistant Vice-President of the Company. No counter affidavits have been submitted. It is made to appear from the brief submitted on behalf of the government that said subpoena is issued in connection with an investigation of the Company and its subsidiaries and other persons or firms or corporations engaged or connected with the photographic industry as respects the violation of the Federal Anti-Trust Laws, Sherman Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C.A. §§ 1-7, 15 note, and a conspiracy to act in violation thereof. The government is not required to lay any specific charge against a corporation or individual before issuance of subpoena duces tecum. The fact that the grand jury has not entered upon investigation of some particular charge is not a sufficient reason for holding that the subpoena, such as here, should be quashed. “It is not necessary, as in the case of a warrant, that a specific charge or complaint of violation of law be pending or that the order be made pursuant to one. It is enough that the investigation be for a lawfully authorized purpose, within the power of Congress to command.” Oklahoma Press Publishing Co. v. Walling, 327 U.S. 186, 209, 66 S.Ct. 494, 505, 90 L.Ed. 614, 166 A.L.R. 531. Hale v. Henkel, 201 U.S. 43, 26 S.Ct. 370, 50 L.Ed. 652; Wilson v. United States, 221 [762]*762U.S. 361, 31 S.Ct. 538, 55 L.Ed. 771, Ann. Cas. 1912D, 558; Wheeler v. United States, 226 U.S. 478, 488, 33 S.Ct. 158, 57 L.Ed. 309; Essgee Co. of China v. United States, 262 U.S. 151, 43 S.Ct. 514, 67 L.Ed. 917; United States v. Invader Oil Co., D.C., 5 F.2d 715; In re National, Window Glass Workers et al., D.C., 287 F. 219.

It is stated in the brief for the Company that the Company does not rely on the excessive burden which would be required in the examination of its records; that the reasonableness of the demands are not to be determined by the number of documents called for, their weight or the aggregate of their mass; but that the demands are unreasonable in scope and so oppressive because of the “all-inclusive and indefinite specifications” of the subpoena.

The subpoena was made returnable March 14, 1947, but by agreement of counsel the return date has been fixed as April 5, 1947.

The principal business of the Company is the manufacture and sale of photographic materials and the related chemicals. It has a most extensive business. It owns the majority of the stock of 30 domestic subsidiaries and, directly or indirectly, of 69 foreign subsidiary companies organized in 29 countries. The Company and its subsidiaries operate 10 manufacturing establishments and more than 300 offices in 254 cities in 41 countries.

The subpoena quite apparently would require the production of a vast number of documents of the Company and that the production of the documents sought would require the examination of documents of the Company numbering many thousands.

Upon the hearing on this motion, the government consented to limit the demand of the subpoena to documents and papers in the offices of the Eastman Kodak Company at Rochester, New York, its principal place of business. Since it is quite apparent that the files of the offices at the principal place of business of the Company normally would contain many papers and documents related to its subsidiaries and outside facilities, it seems doubtful whether the government’s proposed limitation would amount to a very material concession.

Rule 17(c) provides that the Court on motion may quash or modify a subpoena for the production of “books, papers, documents or other objects designated therein.” if compliance would be unreasonable or oppressive. The claim that the subpoena was issued in violation of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution has not been pressed nor do we see how it could have any application herein. The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution purports to make the people secure “against unreasonable searches and seizures.” A subpoena which is unreasonable and oppressive is violative of the Fourth Amendment. Boyd v. United States, 116 U.S. 616, 6 S.Ct. 524, 29 L.Ed. 746; Hale v. Henkel, 201 U.S. 43, 26 S.Ct. 370, 50 L.Ed. 652; Wheeler v. United States, 226 U.S. 478, 33 S.Ct. 158, 57 L.Ed. 309; Weeks v. United States, 232 U.S. 383, 34 S.Ct. 341, 58 L.Ed. 652, L.R.A. 1915B, 834, Ann.Cas.1915C, 1177; Oklahoma Press Publishing Co. v. Walling, 327 U.S. 186, 66 S.Ct. 494, 90 L.Ed. 614, 166 A.L.R. 531.

Obviously the court has the duty to see that its judicial processes are not abused. It has the power to prevent clear injustice or an abuse of judicial process. McKinney v. United States, 8 Cir., 199 F.25; In re National Window Glass Workers, D.C.N.D.Ohio, 1922, 287 F. 219, page 225; Application of Texas Co., D.C., 27 F.Supp. 847; In re Grand Jury Investigation, D.C., 33 F.Supp. 367. So it is the duty of the Court to see that the process by subpoena, as here, is not unreasonable and oppressive. What constitutes an unreasonable and oppressive subpoena duces tecum naturally has had the consideration of the courts in many cases. There are certain similar considerations to be valuated in many of these cases, but each has had to be, as this is to be determined upon its own particular facts. “Each case must be judged according to the peculiar facts arising from the subpoena * * * and other proper sources.” United States v. Medical Society, D.C., 26 F.Supp. 55, 57. All of the authorities given by the parties and others have been examined by the Court.

The two leading cases on the requirements of a subpoena duces tecum are Hale v. Henkel, supra, and Brown v. United [763]*763States, 276 U.S. 134, 48 S.Ct. 288, 72 L.Ed. 500. Both involved grand jury subpoenas in anti-trust investigations. The latter is distinquished from the former in respect to the period of time covered by the subpoena.

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Bluebook (online)
7 F.R.D. 760, 1947 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1777, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-eastman-kodak-co-nywd-1947.