How are antitrust violations investigated?

In California, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) has the authority to investigate antitrust violations. The DOJ has the power to prosecute individuals and businesses that are believed to have violated antitrust laws. The investigation process begins when the DOJ receives a complaint alleging antitrust violations. Once the complaint is submitted, the DOJ will conduct an investigation into the alleged violations. The DOJ will review documents and other evidence to determine if any antitrust laws have been broken. They may also contact the complaining party as well as the accused party to further investigate the matter. During the investigation, the DOJ may issue subpoenas to obtain documents from the accused party, or they may interview witnesses. Additionally, the DOJ may conduct searches of the premises of the accused party in order to obtain more evidence. Once the DOJ has gathered and reviewed all of the evidence, they will decide whether or not there has been an antitrust violation. If the DOJ believes there has been a violation, they will then decide whether to pursue criminal or civil action against the accused party. Depending on the severity of the violation, the accused party may be subject to a fine, jail time, or both. In some cases, the parties may settle the matter out of court by agreeing to certain restrictions on their behavior.

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