The Dutra Group v. Batterton

Docket No.	Argument	Opinion	Vote	Author	Term
18-266	Mar 25, 2019	Jun 24, 2019	6-3	Alito	OT 2018

Holding: A plaintiff may not recover punitive damages on a maritime claim of unseaworthiness.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Alito on June 24, 2019. Justice Ginsburg filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Breyer and Sotomayor joined.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

From 12 to 8: Final countdown at the Supreme Court (SCOTUStalk, June 25, 2019)
A "view" from the courtroom: From the T-shirt shop to the high seas (Mark Walsh, June 24, 2019)
Opinion analysis: Punitive damages not available under general maritime law in personal-injury unseaworthiness action (Joel Goldstein, June 24, 2019)
Argument analysis: Justices navigating between different precedential paths on punitive damages for maritime personal injury (Joel Goldstein, March 26, 2019)
A view from the courtroom: From the Federal Register to the Stanley Cup (Mark Walsh, March 25, 2019)
Argument preview: Justices consider availability of punitive damages in maritime unseaworthiness case (Joel Goldstein, March 18, 2019)
One new grant today (Amy Howe, December 7, 2018)
Petitions of the week (Aurora Barnes, September 19, 2018)

Date	Proceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
06/07/2018	Application (17A1354) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from July 31, 2018 to August 30, 2018, submitted to Justice Kennedy.
06/07/2018	Application (17A1354) granted by Justice Kennedy extending the time to file until August 30, 2018.
08/30/2018	Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 1, 2018)
09/07/2018	Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, The Dutra Group.
09/21/2018	Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018, submitted to The Clerk.
09/25/2018	Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, Christopher Batterton.
09/26/2018	Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 31, 2018.
10/01/2018	Brief amici curiae of At-Sea Processors Association, et al. filed.
10/01/2018	Brief amicus curiae of Maritime Law Association of the United States filed.
10/30/2018	Brief of respondent Christopher Batterton in opposition filed.
11/13/2018	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/30/2018.
11/13/2018	Reply of petitioner The Dutra Group filed. (Distributed)
12/03/2018	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/7/2018.
12/07/2018	Petition GRANTED.
12/21/2018	Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, The Dutra Group.
12/28/2018	Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner The Dutra Group.
01/08/2019	Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, Christopher Batterton.
01/14/2019	Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner GRANTED.
01/17/2019	Brief amicus curiae of Atlantic Sounding Co., Inc. filed.
01/22/2019	Brief of petitioner The Dutra Group filed.
01/22/2019	Amicus brief of Dredging Contractors of America and Council for Dredging & Marine Construction Safety not accepted for filing. (Partial submission.)
01/22/2019	Brief amici curiae of Dredging Contractors of America and Council for Dredging & Marine Construction Safety filed.
01/25/2019	SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, March 25, 2019
01/28/2019	Brief amici curiae of Alaskan Leader Fisheries LLC, et al. filed.
01/28/2019	Brief amicus curiae of The Inland River Harbor and Fleeting Coalition filed.
01/29/2019	Brief amici curiae of At-Sea Processors Association, et al. filed.
01/29/2019	Brief amici curiae of The Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America and International Group of P&I Clubs filed.
01/29/2019	Brief amici curiae of Fishing Vessels' Reserve, et al. filed.
01/29/2019	Brief amicus curiae of American Maritime Association, Inc. filed.
01/29/2019	Brief amicus curiae of International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) filed.
01/29/2019	Brief amici curiae of The Greater New Orleans Barge Fleeting Association, Inc. and Offshore Marine Service Association filed.
01/29/2019	Brief amicus curiae of Waterways Council, Inc. filed.
01/29/2019	Brief amicus curiae of The American Waterways Operators filed.
02/14/2019	CIRCULATED
02/19/2019	Brief amici curiae of Injured Crewmembers filed. (Distributed)
02/21/2019	Brief of respondent Christopher Batterton filed. (Distributed)
02/21/2019	Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 9th Circuit.
02/21/2019	Record from the U.S.C.A 9th Circuit and the District Court is electronic and located on PACER.
02/28/2019	Brief amicus curiae of Claimant Seeking Recovery For Wrongful Death Of Crewmember filed. (Distributed)
02/28/2019	Brief amicus curiae of Sailors' Union of the Pacific filed. (Distributed)
02/28/2019	Amicus brief of American Association for Justice not accepted for filing. (Corrected version submitted).
02/28/2019	Brief amicus curiae of American Association for Justice filed. (March 7, 2019) (Distributed)
03/15/2019	Reply of petitioner The Dutra Group filed. (Distributed)
03/20/2019	Letter of petitioner proposing to lodge copies of pleadings in cited case (The Rolph, 293 F. 269 [N.D. Ca. 1923], aff'd, 299 F. 52 [9th Cir. 1924]) filed. (Distributed)
03/25/2019	Argued. For petitioner: Seth P. Waxman, Washington, D. C. For respondent: David C. Frederick, Washington, D. C.
03/28/2019	Letter of respondent Christopher Batterton filed. (Distributed)
06/24/2019	Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Alito, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Thomas, Kagan, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh, JJ., joined. Ginsburg, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Breyer and Sotomayor, JJ., joined.
07/26/2019	JUDGMENT ISSUED.