The Judge Deciding Google's Fate

By Steve Lohr

Steve Lohr has reported on the tech business and antitrust since the Microsoft case in the 1990s.

One of Amit P. Mehta's first cases after becoming a federal judge in late 2014 proved to be a crash course in antitrust.

Sysco, the nation's largest distributor of food to restaurants and cafeterias, was trying to buy the rival US Foods, and the Federal Trade Commission had sued to block the $3.5 billion deal, arguing that it would stifle competition.

Judge Mehta told lawyers on both sides that he would need help educating himself. Over the next few months, he was a tireless and bright student, according to lawyers for the government and Sysco, absorbing the details of antitrust law and asking sharp questions about precedents, economic theory and the food-distribution business.

After the trial in 2015, Judge Mehta wrote a comprehensive, closely reasoned 128-page opinion and ordered a temporary halt to the deal. Within days, Sysco abandoned its acquisition plan.

"I didn't like the result, but it was a well-thought-out, solid opinion," said Richard Parker, who represented Sysco and is now a partner at the international law firm Milbank.

Judge Mehta, 52, will soon be bringing his experience from that case to help make a landmark antitrust decision.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.