{"argument_date":"2004-04-19T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-04-19T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2003","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Goldstein argued the case involves an ERISA pension plan. He stated the retirees accrued full pensions. He noted they took early retirement at age 39.","Mr. Gossett argued the fund promised specific job rights. He claimed the retirees accepted early retirement packages. He stated they should work without sacrificing pensions.","Mr. Elwood argued the IRS approved similar plan amendments. He stated the IRS allowed these amendments for existing benefits. He claimed this practice lasted for at least twenty years."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 1-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 1-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 36-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 36-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 4-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 4-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 40-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 40-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 10-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 10-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 10-14"}]}],"caption":"Central Laborers' Pension Fund v. Heinz","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.104989Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.138104Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Two early retirees claim a pension fund broke its promise by cutting their benefits after they took new jobs.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 1-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 1-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 36-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 36-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 40-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 40-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 10-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 10-6"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-04-19T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2003","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/02-891.html","primary_docket":"02-891","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T15:39:09.852910Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The Central Laborers' Pension Fund argues it can reduce benefits for early retirees who take new jobs. The retirees argue the fund promised them full benefits regardless of new work."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 1-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 1-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 36-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 36-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 40-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 40-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 10-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 10-6"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 19, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 4-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 4-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 10-14"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The pension fund wants to reduce benefits for early retirees who take new jobs.","The retirees want to keep their full promised pension benefits."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 1-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 1-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 36-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 36-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 40-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 40-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 10-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 10-6"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The fund argues IRS rules allow plans to cut benefits for new employment.","The retirees argue the fund promised full benefits without job restrictions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 1-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 1-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 36-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 36-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 40-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 40-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 10-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 10-6"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the Seventh Circuit distinguished early retirement benefits from normal retirement benefits."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 10-14"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines whether pension plans can cut benefits for early retirees who take new jobs. It affects the financial security of workers who leave the workforce early. It clarifies the scope of pension promises made to employees."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 1-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 1-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 36-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 36-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 40-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 40-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 10-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 10-6"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 4-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 4-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 10-14"}]}],"slug":"2003-02-891-central-laborers-pension-fund-v-heinz","term":"2003","title":"Can a pension plan cut benefits for early retirees who take new jobs?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 1-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 1-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 36-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 36-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 40-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 40-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 10-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-891.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 10-6"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}