Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton
Consolidated with:
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-74 | 7th Cir. | Mar 27, 2017 | Jun 5, 2017 | 8-0 | Kagan | OT 2016 |
Holding: Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, a defined-benefit pension plan maintained by a principal-purpose organization -- one controlled by or associated with a church for the administration or funding of a plan for the church's employees -- qualifies as a "church plan," regardless of who established it.
Judgment: Reversed, 8-0, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on June 5, 2017. Justice Sotomayor filed a concurring opinion. Justice Gorsuch took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: Justices unanimously uphold ERISA exemption for church-affiliated pension plans (Ronald Mann, June 5, 2017)
- Argument analysis: Justices hesitant about extending ERISA to church-affiliated pension plans (Ronald Mann, March 28, 2017)
- Argument preview: Justices to consider application of ERISA to church-affiliated pension plans (Ronald Mann, March 20, 2017)
- Court adds new cases to merits docket (Amy Howe, December 2, 2016)
- Petitions of the day (Kate Howard, July 25, 2016)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| May 23 2016 | Application (15A1201) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from June 15, 2016 to July 15, 2016, submitted to Justice Kagan. |
| May 24 2016 | Application (15A1201) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until July 15, 2016. |
| Jul 15 2016 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 15, 2016) |
| Aug 3 2016 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including September 14, 2016. |
| Aug 8 2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for petitioner. |
| Aug 8 2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for respondents. |
| Aug 12 2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Church Alliance filed. VIDED. |
| Aug 15 2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Thomas More Society filed. VIDED. |
| Aug 15 2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Alliance Defending Freedom filed. VIDED. |
| Aug 15 2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Catholic Health Association of the United States filed. VIDED. |
| Aug 15 2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed. VIDED. |
| Sep 14 2016 | Brief of respondents Maria Stapleton, et al. in opposition filed. |
| Oct 19 2016 | Reply of petitioners Advocate Health Care Networks, et al. filed. |
| Nov 2 2016 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 22, 2016. |
| Nov 28 2016 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 2, 2016. |
| Dec 2 2016 | Petition GRANTED The petitions for writs of certiorari in 16-86 and 16-258 are granted. The cases are consolidated and a total of one hour is allotted for oral argument. VIDED. |
| Dec 14 2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for respondents Marie Stapleton, et al. |
| Jan 17 2017 | Brief of petitioners Advocate Health Care Network, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 17 2017 | Joint appendix filed (2 Vols.) (Statement of costs filed.) VIDED. |
| Jan 18 2017 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioners. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Church Alliance filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of American Center for Law and Justice filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amici curiae of Alliance Defending Freedom, and Thomas More Society filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, Inc. filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amici curiae of Church Defendant filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amici curiae of Christian Legal Society, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amici curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Catholic Health Association of the United States filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of The General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of the United States filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 24 2017 | Brief amici curiae of The Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| Jan 31 2017 | Letter containing additional disclosure pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 37.6 received from counsel for amici Church Defendants. VIDED. |
| Feb 3 2017 | SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, March 27, 2017. VIDED |
| Feb 6 2017 | Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 7th Circuit. |
| Feb 6 2017 | Record received from the U.S.C.A. 7th Circuit. The record is electronic and available on PACER. Also received one SEALED pleading. |
| Feb 7 2017 | Motion of the Deputy Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. VIDED. |
| Feb 16 2017 | Brief of respondents Maria Stapleton, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| Feb 22 2017 | CIRCULATED. |
| Feb 22 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of National Employment Lawyers Association filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| Feb 23 2017 | Brief amici curiae of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| Feb 23 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Pension Rights Center filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| Feb 23 2017 | Brief amici curiae of AARP, and AARP Foundation filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| Feb 23 2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Professor Daniel I. Halperin filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| Mar 17 2017 | Motion of the Deputy Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. VIDED |
| Mar 20 2017 | Reply of petitioners Advocate Health Care Network, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| Mar 27 2017 | Argued. For petitioners: Lisa S. Blatt, Washington, D. C.; and Malcolm L. Stewart, Deputy Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For respondents: James A. Feldman, Washington, D. C. VIDED. |
| Jun 5 2017 | Judgment REVERSED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which all other Members joined, except Gorsuch, J., who took no part in the consideration or decision of these cases. Sotomayor, J., filed a concurring opinion. VIDED. |
| Jul 7 2017 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |
