October Term 2024 · Docket 23-1259
Does a party's own strategic choice count as an extraordinary circumstance to reopen a final judgment?
The dispute centers on whether a litigant's own strategic decisions can satisfy the high bar for reopening a final judgment under Rule 60(b)(6).
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion 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 side that brought the case contends that the Second Circuit diluted the stringent standard for reopening judgments.
the opposing side asserts that the plaintiffs did everything expected of litigants and did not waste court time.
Justice Jackson expressed concern about punishing parties for exercising their right to appeal if the side that brought the case's rule is accepted.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 53-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-53 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 21-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 39-53 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 39-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-1
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of Rule 60(b)(6). The rule allows courts to reopen final judgments only for extraordinary circumstances. The core conflict is whether a party's own strategic choices qualify as such circumstances. the side that brought the case argues the Second Circuit diluted this standard. the opposing side claims the circumstances here clearly meet the rule's requirements.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 3, 2025.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the Court to hold that a party's own strategic choices cannot satisfy the extraordinary circumstances requirement for reopening a final judgment.
the opposing side wants the Court to hold that the specific circumstances of this case clearly meet the standard for reopening a final judgment under Rule 60(b)(6).
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues that Rule 60(b)(6) requires extraordinary circumstances that cannot result from the movant's own strategic choices.
the opposing side argues that the plaintiffs acted appropriately and that the circumstances of this case clearly meet the standard for reopening the judgment.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
What the justices asked
Justice Thomas asked if the opposing side's argument relies on the view that the Second Circuit announced a new rule.
Justice Sotomayor asked if the facts here were not extraordinary circumstances and noted the lower court did not address whether Rule 60(b) was met.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 53-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-53 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 21-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 39-53 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 39-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-1
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary for reopening final judgments. It determines whether strategic litigation choices can serve as grounds for relief. The outcome shapes the finality of judicial decisions and the standards for correcting past errors.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
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 10, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 53-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-53 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 21-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 39-53 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 39-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-1
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-9
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.