General Introduction

State attorneys general often bring investigations or lawsuits these days based on privacy or antitrust concerns. In the privacy sphere, the frequent absence of national, congressionally-enacted, standards have led states, either acting alone or with other states, to fill that vacuum by initiating state actions. In the antitrust sphere, states have had antitrust authority longer than the federal government, and frequently bring antitrust cases in circumstances in which the federal authorities (USDOJ or FTC) have chosen not to act. States also bring such actions in cooperation with the federal government.