</s> ▁American ▁Society ▁of ▁Mechan ical ▁Engine ers ▁v . ▁H ydro level ▁Corporation , ▁ 4 5 6 ▁U . S . ▁ 5 5 6 ▁( 1 9 8 2 ), ▁is ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁case ▁where ▁a ▁non - pro fit ▁association , ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁was ▁held ▁li able ▁for ▁tre ble ▁dam ages ▁under ▁the ▁Sh erman ▁Ant it rust ▁Act ▁due ▁to ▁ant it rust ▁viol ations . ▁ ▁In ▁this ▁case , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁held ▁an ▁association ▁li able ▁when ▁its ▁agents ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁acting ▁under ▁the ▁authority ▁of ▁the ▁association . ▁Such ▁action ▁is ▁called ▁apparent ▁authority . ▁The ▁court ▁determined ▁that ▁a ▁non - pro fit ▁association ▁is ▁li able ▁when ▁it ▁fails ▁to ▁prevent ▁ant it rust ▁viol ation ▁through ▁the ▁mis use ▁of ▁the ▁association ' s ▁reputation ▁by ▁its ▁agents ▁( including ▁lower ▁level ▁staff ▁and ▁un pa id ▁volunte ers ). ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁held ▁that ▁American ▁Society ▁of ▁Mechan ical ▁Engine ers ▁( a ▁non pro fit ▁association ) ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁tre ble ▁dam ages ▁under ▁the ▁Sh erman ▁Act . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁the ▁engineering ▁firm ▁of ▁Mc D onn ell ▁and ▁Miller ▁requested ▁an ▁interpretation ▁of ▁the ▁AS ME ▁Bo iler ▁and ▁Press ure ▁V essel ▁Code ▁from ▁the ▁AS ME ▁Bo iler ▁and ▁Press ure ▁V essel ▁C odes