Missouri Bev Intervenes on Southern’s Behalf

Dear Client:We've reported that Southern Wine & Spirits would be appealing the Missouri district court ruling that upheld the state's residency requirement, which blocks them from setting up shop in the state. In an interesting turn of events, Missouri Beverage (MoBev) has filed a motion in support of Southern, claiming that its experience illustrates how the residency requirements impair competition. But why would a smaller wholesaler side with the largest distributor in the country? Let's look at the make-up of