Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. v. Superior Court of California, San Francisco County
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-466 | Apr 25, 2017 | Apr 24, 2025 | 8-1 | Alito | OT 2016 |
Holding: California courts lack specific jurisdiction to entertain the claims in this case brought by plaintiffs who are not California residents, because there is an insufficient connection between the forum and the specific claims at issue.
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 8-1, in an opinion by Justice Alito on April 24, 2025. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: Justices reject California courts jurisdiction over claims by out-of-state litigants against out-of-state defendants (Ronald Mann, June 19, 2017)
- A "view" from the courtroom: A clash of laws (Mark Walsh, June 19, 2017)
- Argument analysis: Justices cautious about validating California courts jurisdiction over claims by out-of-state litigants against out-of-state defendants (Ronald Mann, April 26, 2017)
- Argument preview: Justices to consider challenge to California courts jurisdiction over claims by out-of-state litigants against out-of-state defendants (Ronald Mann, April 18, 2017)
- Court adds two more cases to its merits docket (Amy Howe, January 19, 2017)
- Petition of the day (Kate Howard, November 19, 2016)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 10/07/2016 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 10, 2016) |
| 10/13/2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioner and counsel for the respondents. |
| 11/10/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Washington Legal Foundation, et al. filed. |
| 11/10/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Product Liability Advisory Council, Inc. filed. |
| 11/10/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Chamber of Commerce of the United States, et al. filed. |
| 11/10/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America filed. |
| 11/10/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of GlaxoSmithKline, LLC filed. |
| 11/15/2016 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including December 9, 2016. |
| 12/07/2016 | Brief of respondents Superior Court of California, San Francisco County, et al. in opposition filed. |
| 12/20/2016 | Reply of petitioner Bristol-Myers Squibb Company filed. |
| 12/21/2016 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 6, 2017. |
| 01/09/2017 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 13, 2017. |
| 01/17/2017 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 19, 2017. |
| 01/19/2017 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 02/13/2017 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the Petitioner. |
| 02/13/2017 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the Respondents. |
| 02/17/2017 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, April 25, 2017 |
| 02/24/2017 | Record requested from the Supreme Court of California. |
| 03/01/2017 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.) |
| 03/01/2017 | Brief of petitioner Bristol-Myers Squibb Company filed. |
| 03/02/2017 | Record received from the Supreme Court of California (1 box). |
| 03/07/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar filed. |
| 03/08/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of GlaxoSmithKline LLC filed. |
| 03/08/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, et al. filed. |
| 03/08/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America filed. |
| 03/08/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Product Liability Advisory Council, Inc. filed. |
| 03/08/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Atlantic Legal Foundation, et al. filed. |
| 03/08/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Washington Legal Foundation, et al. filed. |
| 03/08/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. |
| 03/08/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Texas Association of Broadcasters filed. |
| 03/09/2017 | Motion for leave to file amici brief out of time filed by TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V., et al. |
| 03/09/2017 | Motion for leave to file amicus brief filed out of time by MoneyMutual LLP. |
| 03/22/2017 | CIRCULATED. |
| 03/27/2017 | Motion for leave to file amici brief out of time filed by TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V., et al. GRANTED. |
| 03/30/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Alan B. Morrison filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/31/2017 | Brief of respondents Superior Court of California, San Francisco County, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/03/2017 | Motion for leave to file amicus brief out of time filed by MoneyMutual LLP GRANTED. |
| 04/05/2017 | Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. |
| 04/05/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of The Center for Auto Safety filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/07/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Attorneys Information Exchange Group filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/07/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of California Constitution Center filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/07/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of The American Association for Justice filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/07/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Professors of Civil Procedure and Federal Courts filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/07/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Public Justice, P.C. filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/07/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/07/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Civil Procedure Professors filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/11/2017 | Response of respondents to motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. |
| 04/12/2017 | Reply of Acting Solicitor General to respondents' response to motion filed. |
| 04/13/2017 | Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. Justice Gorsuch took no part in the consideration or decision of this motion. |
| 04/18/2017 | Reply of petitioner Bristol-Myers Squibb Company filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/25/2017 | Argued. For petitioner: Neal K. Katyal, Washington, D. C.; and Rachel P. Kovner, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For respondents: Thomas C. Goldstein, Bethesda, Md. |
| 06/19/2017 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Alito, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Kagan, and Gorsuch, JJ., joined. Sotomayor, J., filed a dissenting opinion. |
| 07/21/2017 | MANDATE ISSUED. |
| 07/21/2017 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |
| 08/07/2017 | Record from the Supreme Court of California has ben returned. |