October Term 2005 · Docket 05-128
Does a workers' compensation plan qualify as an employee benefit plan under ERISA?
The dispute centers on whether a workers' compensation plan fits the legal definition of an employee benefit plan.
Verified source milestones
- — 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. Verrilli described the specific benefits provided by the plan.
Mr. Strain emphasized the strict requirements for bankruptcy priorities.
questions_and_answers
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 45-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-37
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case asks if a workers' compensation plan counts as an employee benefit plan. This classification determines bankruptcy priority for unpaid premiums.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-9
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 21, 2006.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the plan excluded from the employee benefit definition.
the opposing sides want the plan included in the employee benefit definition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-9
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue bankruptcy priorities require clear statutory language.
the opposing sides argue the plan fits the standard employee benefit definition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-9
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked for the strongest authority for the initial presumption.
Justice Scalia noted ERISA explicitly excludes workers' compensation from the definition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 45-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-37
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of employee benefit plans. This classification affects bankruptcy priority for insurance premiums. The ruling clarifies statutory definitions for future cases.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-9
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 4, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 45-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-37
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 25, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-9
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.