Judge Says He Can’t Force Sunkist Prosecution:...

Judge Says He Can’t Force Sunkist Prosecution: A judge said he can’t make the government continue prosecuting Sunkist and 20 affiliate citrus packing houses. U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger ruled that he doesn’t have the authority to require the Justice Department to continue with a civil case filed several years ago. The government joined a lawsuit that charged Sunkist and 20 affiliate packing houses with cheating on sales restrictions called prorate. The restrictions limited the amount of fresh oranges or lemons that producers could sell domestically each week, in an attempt to stabilize markets. But the U.S. Agriculture Department later eliminated the restrictions and the Justice Department decided to drop its prosecution. Wanger was asked to keep the lawsuit alive by Sequoia Orange of Exeter, Calif., which originally filed the action and has fought Sunkist and prorate for years.