Actavis, Inc. v. Demahy

Consolidated with:

• PLIVA, Inc. v. Mensing
• Actavis Elizabeth, L.L.C. v. Mensing

Holding: Federal drug regulations applicable to generic drug manufacturers directly conflict with, and thus preempt, state-law tort claims alleging a failure to provide adequate warning labels.

Judgment: Reversed, 5-4, in an opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas on June 23, 2011. The Chief Justice and Justices Scalia and Alito joined the opinion in full, while Justice Kennedy joined as to all but Part III-B-2. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, and Kagan.

Briefs and Documents

Merits Briefs

• Brief for Petitioner Actavis Elizabeth, LLC, and Actavis, Inc.
• Brief for Respondent Gladys Mensing and Julie Demahy
• Reply Brief for Petitioners

Amicus Briefs

• Brief for Morton Grove Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Impax Laboratories, Inc. in Support of Petitioners
• Brief for the United States in Support of Respondents
• Brief for the American Association for Justice in Support of Respondent
• Brief for the National Conference of State Legislators in Support of Respondent
• Brief for States of Minnesota, Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia in Support of Respondent
• Brief for Torts Professors Mary J. Davis, Heidi Li Feldman, Thomas C. Galligan, Jr., Mark P. Gergen, and Jon Hanson in Support of Respondent
• Brief for Dr. Christy Graves in Support of Respondent
• Brief for the National Coalition Against Censorship in Support of Respondent
• Brief for the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Texas Medical Liability Trust, Texas Alliance for Patient Access, North Carolina Medical Society, California Medical Association, Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company, and Louisiana State Medical Society in Support of Respondent
• Brief for Marc T. Law, John Abramson, Julie Donohue, Michael Fischer, and Meredith Rosenthal in Support of Respondent
• Brief for Administrative Law and Civil Procedure Scholars in Support of Respondent
• Brief for the Generic Pharmaceutical Association in Support of Petitioner
• Brief for Constitutional Accountability Center in Support of Respondent
• Brief for Rep. Henry A. Waxman in Support of Respondents Urging Affirmance

Certiorari-stage documents

• Opinion below (5th Circuit)
• Petition for certiorari
• Brief in opposition
• Petitioner's reply