United States v. Washington
Holding: Washington’s workers’ compensation law is unconstitutional under the supremacy clause because it facially discriminates against the federal government and does not fall within the scope of the federal waiver of immunity contained in 40 U.S.C. § 3172.
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Breyer on June 21, 2022.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Justices overturn Washington workers’ compensation law on a strict reading of intergovernmental immunity (Michael C. Duff, June 22, 2022)
- Announcement of orders and opinions for Tuesday, June 21 (complete) (Angie Gou, June 21, 2022)
- Justices wrestle with mootness and intergovernmental immunity in Hanford workers’ comp case (Michael C. Duff, April 20, 2022)
- At a vestige of the Manhattan Project, a fight over workers’ compensation and intergovernmental immunity (Michael C. Duff, April 15, 2022)
- April argument calendar features cases on Trump-era asylum policy and praying football coach (Amy Howe, March 15, 2022)
- Justices add new cases on bankruptcy, workers’ comp, and relief from final judgments (Amy Howe, January 10, 2022)
- Blocked beachgoers and bankruptcy bills (Andrew Hamm, October 15, 2021)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders (key to color coding) |
|---|
| Sep 08 2021 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 14, 2021) |
| Sep 21 2021 | Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 14, 2021 to November 15, 2021, submitted to The Clerk. |
| Sep 22 2021 | Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including November 15, 2021. |
| Nov 15 2021 | Brief of respondents Washington, et al. in opposition filed. |
| Dec 01 2021 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/7/2022. |
| Dec 01 2021 | Reply of petitioner United States filed. (Distributed) |
| Jan 10 2022 | Petition GRANTED. |
| Feb 23 2022 | Brief of petitioner United States filed. |
| Feb 23 2022 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of cost filed) |
| Mar 15 2022 | ARGUMENT SET FOR Monday, April 18, 2022. |
| Mar 15 2022 | Suggestion of mootness filed by respondents Washington, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| Mar 16 2022 | Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 9th Circuit. |
| Mar 17 2022 | Response in opposition to respondents suggestion of mootness filed by petitioner United States. (Distributed) |
| Mar 17 2022 | The record from the U.S.C.A. 9th Circuit is electronic and available on PACER. |
| Mar 23 2022 | CIRCULATED |
| Mar 23 2022 | Brief amicus curiae of Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group filed. (Distributed) |
| Mar 23 2022 | Reply on suggestion of mootness filed by respondents Washington, et al. (Distributed) |
| Mar 25 2022 | Brief of respondents Washington, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| Apr 08 2022 | Reply of petitioner United States filed. (Distributed) |
| Apr 11 2022 | Sur-reply in support of suggestion of mootness filed by respondents Washington, et al. (Distributed) |
| Apr 13 2022 | Response in opposition to sur-reply in support of suggestion of mootness filed by petitioner United States. (Distributed) |
| Apr 18 2022 | Argued. For petitioner: Malcolm L. Stewart, Deputy Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. For respondents: Tera M. Heintz, Deputy Solicitor General, Olympia, Wash. |
| Jun 21 2022 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Breyer, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. |
| Jul 25 2022 | JUDGMENT ISSUED |
