October Term 2013 · Docket 12-761
Can a competitor sue over FDA-approved food labels?
POM Wonderful seeks to sue Coca-Cola for misleading pomegranate juice labels. Coca-Cola argues federal law blocks such private lawsuits.
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
Seth Waxman argued the Lanham Act remedies market misappropriation by competitors.
Ms. Sullivan argued the FDCA promotes honesty and fair dealing for consumers.
Justice Kagan noted a potential conflict between FDA findings and Lanham Act claims.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 11-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- 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 9-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-23
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
POM Wonderful wants a court to stop Coca-Cola from using labels it deems misleading. Coca-Cola wants the court to dismiss the case because federal food laws control labeling.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 21, 2014.
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
POM Wonderful wants a private right to sue competitors for misleading labels.
Coca-Cola wants courts to dismiss private suits over FDA-approved labels.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
What each side says
POM Wonderful argues the Lanham Act protects businesses from competitor misrepresentation.
Coca-Cola argues federal food laws preempt private claims about required labels.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
What the justices asked
Justice Kennedy asked if plaintiffs must concede they cannot challenge FDA-required labels.
Justice Sotomayor asked how courts decide if ads violate regulations without interpreting them.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 11-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 29-33
- 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 9-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-23
Why it matters
This case defines whether private companies can police food labeling. It determines if competitors can sue over FDA-approved claims. It shapes the balance between federal regulation and private litigation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
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 13-19 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-31 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 11-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 29-33
- 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 9-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-23
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 15, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 45-31 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 45-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
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.