Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co. C. Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers

398 U.S. 281 (1970)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

In 1967, D began picketing a switching yard wholly owned and operated by P. D went into federal court seeking an injunction, and their request was denied. D immediately went into state court and there succeeded in obtaining an injunction. Nothing happened for the next two years. In 1969, after the decision in Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen v. Jacksonville Terminal Co., 394 U.S. 369 (1969) concluding that the unions had a federally protected right to picket under the Railway Labor Act and that that right could not be interfered with by state court injunctions, D filed a motion in state court to dissolve the injunction, arguing that under the Jacksonville Terminal decision, the injunction was improper. The state judge refused. D did not appeal in state court but went back to the federal court and requested an injunction against the enforcement of the state court injunction. The District Judge granted the injunction. The Court of Appeals summarily affirmed on the parties' stipulation. The Supreme Court granted certiorari. D contends that the federal injunction was proper either 'to protect or effectuate' the District Court's denial of an injunction in 1967, or as 'necessary in aid of' the District Court's jurisdiction.