October Term 2018 · Docket 17-1104
Do manufacturers owe a duty to warn about asbestos added later?
The dispute centers on whether equipment makers must warn users about asbestos added by third parties.
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 sides that brought the case argue manufacturers are not liable for injuries caused by third-party goods.
the opposing sides argue this is a failure to warn case under tort law principles.
argument
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-26 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 35-21 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 35-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 10-15 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 10-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 16-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 16-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 14-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 9-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 34-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 34-21
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of manufacturer liability for third-party modifications.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 10-15 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 10-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 9-9
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 10, 2018.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 11-13
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the Court to limit liability for third-party additions.
the opposing sides want the Court to hold manufacturers liable for foreseeable asbestos use.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 10-15 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 10-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 9-9
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue manufacturers lack a duty to warn about later asbestos additions.
the opposing sides argue manufacturers must warn because their products require asbestos for use.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 10-15 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 10-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 9-9
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if the injury was foreseeable to the manufacturer.
Justice Ginsburg asked if the product required asbestos to function properly.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-26 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 35-21 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 35-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 16-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 16-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 14-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 34-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 34-21
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary of manufacturer responsibility for third-party modifications.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 10-15 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 10-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 9-9
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 12, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-26 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 20-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-26 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 35-21 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 35-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 16-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 16-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 14-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 34-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 34-21
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 32, lines 10-15 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 10-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 9-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 10-15 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 10-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 9-9
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.