October Term 2015 · Docket 14-857
Does an unaccepted offer of full payment end a lawsuit?
A company argues that offering full payment ends a case. The plaintiff argues the case continues until a judge accepts the offer.
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
The company's lawyer argued that refusing an offer of full relief should end the case.
The plaintiff's lawyer argued that an unaccepted offer cannot remove the court's power to decide the case.
Justices questioned whether an offer of judgment is legally equivalent to a final court order.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 48-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 48-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 34-46 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 34-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 30-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 30-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-22 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 30-42 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 30-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 36-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 36-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 10-42 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 10-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 16-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 38-46 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 38-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 50-10 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 50-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 44-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 16-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 16-28
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests whether a defendant can end a lawsuit by offering full payment. The plaintiff refused the offer. The company wants the case dismissed. The plaintiff wants to keep the case alive.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 34-46 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 34-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 30-42 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 30-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 10-42 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 10-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 44-12
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 14, 2015.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 44-48
What each side wants
The company wants the case dismissed because it offered full payment.
The plaintiff wants the case to continue because the offer was not accepted.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 34-46 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 34-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 30-42 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 30-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 10-42 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 10-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 44-12
What each side says
The company argues that an offer of full payment ends the legal dispute.
The plaintiff argues that an unaccepted offer does not end the legal dispute.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 34-46 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 34-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 30-42 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 30-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 10-42 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 10-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 44-12
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if the plaintiff could still seek an injunction.
Justice Ginsburg noted that federal rules treat unaccepted offers as withdrawn after fourteen days.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 48-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 48-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 30-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 30-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-22 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 36-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 36-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 16-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 38-46 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 38-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 50-10 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 50-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 16-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 16-28
Why it matters
This issue determines whether companies can force plaintiffs to accept payment or lose their case. It affects how courts handle settlement offers during litigation. It shapes the balance of power between parties in federal courts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 34-46 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 34-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 30-42 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 30-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 10-42 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 10-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 44-12
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 48-50 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 48-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 30-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 30-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-4 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-22 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 36-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 36-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 52-8 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 52-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 22-30 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 22-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 34-36 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 34-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 16-30 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 16-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 38-46 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 38-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 50-10 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 50-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 16-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 16-28
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 3, lines 20-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 34-46 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 34-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 30-42 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 30-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 10-42 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 10-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 44-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 34-46 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 34-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 30-42 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 30-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 10-42 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 10-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 44-12 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 44-12
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.