October Term 2001 · Docket 00-1307
Does the Coal Act bind successor companies to pay retiree health benefits?
The dispute centers on whether a coal company's successor must fund retiree health benefits under federal law.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Wolfson stated the Coal Act aimed to prevent the collapse of a private health care system.
Mr. Wolfson argued section 9701(c)(2) targets signatory operators and related successors.
Mr. Woodrum noted lower courts addressed successor liability before the Eastern Enterprises case.
Mr. Woodrum claimed the Commissioner argued the Coal Act did not provide for successor liability.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 41-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 19-19
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of the Coal Act. It asks if successor companies inherit the duty to pay retiree health benefits.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 41-15
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 7, 2001.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 19-19
What each side wants
The Commissioner seeks to limit the Coal Act's scope to original signatory operators.
Sigmon Coal seeks to hold successor companies liable for retiree health benefits.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 41-15
What each side says
The Commissioner argues the statute does not impose successor liability on new entities.
Sigmon Coal argues the law targets signatories and their related successors.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 41-15
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the case was submitted.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 19-19
Why it matters
Retired coal miners depend on this law for health care. Successor companies face financial obligations under the statute. The outcome defines the scope of federal health benefit mandates.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 41-15
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 19-19
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 41-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 41-15 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 41-15
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.