{"ID":51384,"name":"Transamerican Freight Lines, Inc. v. Brada Miller Freight Systems, Inc.","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/cases\/1975\/74-54","view_count":0,"docket_number":"74-54","additional_docket_numbers":null,"manner_of_jurisdiction":"Writ of \u003Ci\u003Ecertiorari\u003C\/i\u003E","first_party":"Transamerican Freight Lines, Inc.","second_party":"Brada Miller Freight Systems, Inc.","timeline":[{"event":"Argued","dates":[181976400],"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_timeline\/case_timeline\/32037"},{"event":"Decided","dates":[185004000],"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_timeline\/case_timeline\/32038"}],"lower_court":{"ID":12,"name":"United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/taxonomy\/term\/12"},"facts_of_the_case":"\u003Cp\u003EIn 1968, Brada Miller Freight Systems, Inc. (Brada Miller) agreed to lease a tractor and trailer operated by its employee-driver, H. L. Hardrick, to fellow licensed motor carrier Transamerican Freight Lines, Inc. (Transamerican) for a shipment from Detroit, Michigan, to Kansas City, Missouri. The agreement stated that Transamerican assumed control and responsibility for the operation of the equipment during the lease and that Brada Miller agreed to indemnify Transamerican from any and all claims related to any negligence on the part of Brada Miller or its employees. On the way to Kansas City, the truck collided with another car in Illinois. The injured driver sued both Brada Miller and Transamerican in federal district court and alleged that the accident was caused by Hardrick\u2019s negligence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETransamerican settled with the driver for $80,000 and then sued Brada Miller seeking indemnification for the settlement amount and costs of litigation. The district court held that the indemnity clause was unenforceable because it was contrary to public policy and granted summary judgment in favor of Brada Miller. On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed and held that the indemnification clause was an attempt to circumvent regulations promulgated by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) that required carriers to exert actual control and responsibility over leased equipment and borrowed drivers.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","question":"\u003Cp\u003EDo the \u201ccontrol-and-responsibility\u201d provisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission\u2019s regulations on equipment leasing prohibit an agreement between carriers in which the lessor indemnifies the lessee for a loss caused by the negligence of the lessor?\u003C\/p\u003E\n","conclusion":"\u003Cp\u003ENo. Justice Harry Blackmun delivered the opinion for the 9-0 majority. The Court held that the indemnification provision did not contravene ICC regulations designed to prevent motor carriers from sharing operating authority in order to evade safety requirements and limit each carrier\u2019s liability to the public. The Court noted that the indemnity clause likely increases public safety as it holds the lessor accountable for its own negligence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJustice William O. Douglas concurred in the judgment, but declined to write separately.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","advocates":[{"advocate":{"ID":17180,"name":"Alphonso H. Voorhees","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/alphonso_h_voorhees","view_count":0,"last_name":"Voorhees","roles":null,"thumbnail":null,"length_of_service":0,"identifier":"alphonso_h_voorhees"},"advocate_description":"for petitioner","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_advocate\/case_advocate\/10078"},{"advocate":{"ID":31594,"name":"Joseph L. 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