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→Schwegmann as public service litigant
==Schwegmann as public service litigant==
==Schwegmann as public service litigant==
In 1948, Schwegmann entered a new field of activity: litigation. The Louisiana legislature had passed a law requiring a minimum markup on alcoholic beverages at all levels of the merchandising chain. Schwegmann was convinced that stores should be able to set their own prices. He volunteered to be the [[plaintiff]] in a test case to oppose the law, and Stone agreed to represent him. "That made him a litigator. He liked it. He wanted to fight," Stone said.
In 1948, Schwegmann entered a new field of activity: litigation. The Louisiana legislature had passed a law requiring a minimum markup on alcoholic beverages at all levels of the merchandising chain. Schwegmann was convinced that stores should be able to set their own prices. He volunteered to be the [[plaintiff]] in a test case to oppose the law, and Stone agreed to represent him. "That made him a litigator. He liked it. He wanted to fight," Stone said. The Louisiana Supreme Court declared the markup law on alcohol unconstitutional.
The Louisiana Supreme Court declared the markup law on alcohol unconstitutional.
Schwegmann's next fight was against the state's fair-trade law, which permitted manufacturers to set retail prices for an entire area by entering into a contract with just one retailer in that region. The crusade was successful in the U.S. District Court, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, and the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. While the Supreme Court did not technically strike down the law, it held that merchants could not be forced to charge certain prices. "The next move was to get the state's fair-trade law thrown out", Stone said. "It was. A second law was passed, but the state Supreme Court threw it out in 1965."
Schwegmann's next fight was against the state's fair-trade law, which permitted manufacturers to set retail prices for an entire area by entering into a contract with just one retailer in that region. The crusade was successful in the U.S. District Court, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, and the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. While the Supreme Court did not technically strike down the law, it held that merchants could not be forced to charge certain prices. "The next move was to get the state's fair-trade law thrown out", Stone said. "It was. A second law was passed, but the state Supreme Court threw it out in 1965."
In 1965, state Revenue Collector Ashton J. Mouton (1916-1988), a former [[mayor]] of [[Lafayette]], sued Schwegmann Brothers to collect for the state sales, use and occupational license taxes plus interest in the amount of $62,517.98. Schwegmann appealed the assessments to the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals. Ten years later, the tax board ruled in Mouton's favor, some five years after he had left the collector's position. Thereafter, the state sued to collect another $103,290.59. Schwegmann answered and denied liability. The two cases were consolidated in the trial court by consent of the parties. In the trial, Mouton was upheld in both cases.
In 1965, state Revenue Collector Ashton J. Mouton (1916-1988), a former [[mayor]] of [[Lafayette]], sued Schwegmann Brothers to collect for the state sales, use and occupational license taxes plus interest in the amount of $62,517.98. Schwegmann appealed the assessments to the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals. Ten years later, the tax board ruled in Mouton's favor, some five years after he had left the collector's position. Thereafter, the state sued to collect another $103,290.59. Schwegmann answered and denied liability. The two cases were consolidated in the trial court by consent of the parties. In the trial, Mouton was upheld in both cases.
==The fight against milk price-fixing==
==The fight against milk price-fixing==