October Term 2010 · Docket 09-400
Does a biased supervisor's report make an employer liable for a neutral manager's firing?
Vincent Staub argues his supervisor's biased report caused his firing. Proctor Hospital argues the neutral manager's decision breaks the chain of liability.
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. Miller argued the employer is liable when a supervisor uses delegated authority to cause harm.
Mr. Davis argued the parties agree Linda Buck made the final decision to fire Staub.
Mr. Davis argued there is no evidence Linda Buck possessed animus toward Staub.
Mr. Schnapper argued agency law determines the employer's responsibility for specific officials.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 5-31 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 5-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 11-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-25
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether an employer faces liability when a biased supervisor influences a neutral decisionmaker. The lower court ruled against Staub. It required the supervisor to exert singular influence over the final decision.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 5-31 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 5-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 2, 2010.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
Staub wants the Court to hold the employer liable for the supervisor's biased report.
Proctor Hospital wants the Court to limit liability to the neutral decisionmaker's own motives.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 5-31 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 5-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
What each side says
Staub argues agency law makes the employer responsible for the supervisor's discriminatory actions.
Proctor Hospital argues the statute only covers actions by the official with discharge authority.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 5-31 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 5-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if a biased report alone is actionable under the statute.
Justice Scalia asked why lower supervisory employees' decisions trigger employer liability.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 11-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-25
Why it matters
This dispute defines the scope of employer liability for biased employees. It determines when a neutral manager's decision shields the company from legal responsibility.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 5-31 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 5-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
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 47-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 11-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-25
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 16, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 5-31 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 5-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 5-31 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 5-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-45
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.