October Term 2010 · Docket 10-277
Can a nationwide class proceed without a single company-wide policy?
Plaintiffs seek to certify a massive class based on decentralized decisions. The company argues this lacks a common core.
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
The company argued that the class lacks cohesion. It stated that plaintiffs failed to meet commonality requirements. It emphasized the absence of a formal policy.
The plaintiffs argued that decentralized decisions create a common issue. They cited legal models that do not require formal policies. They asserted that subjective decision-making constitutes a policy.
Justice Roberts asked if decentralized decision-making could be a policy. He suggested that repeated allegations might indicate a systemic issue. He questioned the company's defense strategy.
Justice Kagan asked why excessive subjectivity is not a policy. She questioned the exclusion of this concept from legal claims. She sought clarification on the legal definition of policy.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 29-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-13
- 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 15-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-19 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-3 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-3
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the limits of class action certification. It asks if disparate local decisions can form a single legal claim.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 11-11
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 29, 2011.
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
The company wants the class certification denied. It argues the claims lack a common core.
The plaintiffs want the class certification upheld. They argue decentralized decisions create a common issue.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 11-11
What each side says
The company argues that individual local decisions cannot form a single legal claim. It cites the lack of a formal policy.
The plaintiffs argue that decentralized decision-making itself creates a common legal issue. They reject the need for a formal policy.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 11-11
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked about the difference between certification and merits standards. He questioned the application of company-wide policy rules.
Justice Sotomayor noted that the legal question remains unresolved. She acknowledged the complexity of the issue presented by the advocates.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 29-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-19 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-3 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-3
Why it matters
This dispute defines the scope of class actions. It determines whether decentralized corporate decisions can support nationwide litigation. The outcome shapes future employment discrimination claims.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 11-11
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 10, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 29-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-37 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 21-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-43
- 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 15-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-19 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-3 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-3
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 24, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 11-11
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.