The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal in an antitrust lawsuit brought by 17 U.S. states against Google, allowing a lower court’s ruling to stand. The decision compels South Carolina’s parks, recreation, and tourism agency to release records that Google sought for its defense.
The states accuse Google of maintaining an illegal monopoly in digital advertising. As part of its defense, Google subpoenaed the South Carolina agency for documents detailing how it rated and used the company’s advertising services. South Carolina, a plaintiff in the case, resisted the request, arguing that the parks agency was not an “arm of the state” and therefore did not have to comply.
Google convinced the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in June to reject the agency’s immunity argument, affirming a lower court’s decision. The parks agency had argued that the case raised significant questions about the independence of state agencies from a state attorney general’s actions.
The Supreme Court declined to hear the case without providing an explanation. Neither Google nor the South Carolina agency immediately responded to requests for comment.
Google has denied the antitrust allegations, asserting that dozens of other agencies from states involved in the lawsuit complied with its demands for information. The case is South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism v. Google, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 24-377.
