Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton
Consolidated with:
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-74 | Mar 27, 2017 | May 6, 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 May 6, 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 26, 2016)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 05/23/2016 | 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. |
| 05/24/2016 | Application (15A1201) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until July 15, 2016. |
| 07/15/2016 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 15, 2016) |
| 08/03/2016 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including September 14, 2016. |
| 08/08/2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for petitioner. |
| 08/08/2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for respondents. |
| 08/12/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Church Alliance filed. VIDED. |
| 08/15/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Thomas More Society filed. VIDED. |
| 08/15/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Alliance Defending Freedom filed. VIDED. |
| 08/15/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Catholic Health Association of the United States filed. VIDED. |
| 08/15/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed. VIDED. |
| 09/14/2016 | Brief of respondents Maria Stapleton, et al. in opposition filed. |
| 10/19/2016 | Reply of petitioners Advocate Health Care Networks, et al. filed. |
| 11/02/2016 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 22, 2016. |
| 11/28/2016 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 2, 2016. |
| 12/02/2016 | 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. |
| 12/14/2016 | 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. |
| 01/17/2017 | Brief of petitioners Advocate Health Care Network, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/17/2017 | Joint appendix filed (2 Vols.) (Statement of costs filed.) VIDED. |
| 01/18/2017 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioners. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Church Alliance filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of American Center for Law and Justice filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Alliance Defending Freedom, and Thomas More Society filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, Inc. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Church Defendant filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Christian Legal Society, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amici curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Catholic Health Association of the United States filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of The General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of the United States filed. VIDED. |
| 01/24/2017 | Brief amici curiae of The Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/31/2017 | Letter containing additional disclosure pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 37.6 received from counsel for amici Church Defendants. VIDED. |
| 02/03/2017 | SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, March 27, 2017. VIDED |
| 02/06/2017 | Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 7th Circuit. |
| 02/06/2017 | Record received from the U.S.C.A. 7th Circuit. The record is electronic and available on PACER. Also received one SEALED pleading. |
| 02/07/2017 | Motion of the Deputy Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. VIDED. |
| 02/16/2017 | Brief of respondents Maria Stapleton, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 02/22/2017 | CIRCULATED. |
| 02/22/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of National Employment Lawyers Association filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 02/23/2017 | Brief amici curiae of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 02/23/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Pension Rights Center filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 02/23/2017 | Brief amici curiae of AARP, and AARP Foundation filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 02/23/2017 | Brief amicus curiae of Professor Daniel I. Halperin filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 03/17/2017 | Motion of the Deputy Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. VIDED |
| 03/20/2017 | Reply of petitioners Advocate Health Care Network, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 03/27/2017 | 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. |
| 06/05/2017 | 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. |
| 07/07/2017 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |