Federal Judiciary

Mobile Users: In-Text LiveBlog | 6.19.08

By Akin Gump Supreme Court Practice Group

This post is designed only for readers using mobile devices. We will update the text of this post with news of today???s opinions and orders, but updates will not automatically refresh. For a much better experience, readers using standard web browsers or iPhones should follow along using our standard LiveBlog here.

10:01 - The Court has released the opinion in MetLife v. Glenn (06-923), on whether the fact that a claim administrator of an ERISA plan also funds the plan benefits constitutes a ???conflict of interest??? that must be weighed in a judicial review of the administrator???s benefit determination. The ruling below, which found for the claimant, is affirmed.?? Justice Breyer wrote the opinion. We will provide a link to the decision as soon as it is available.

10:06 - The Court has released the opinion in Kentucky Retirement Systems v. EEOC (06-1037), on whether the relevance of age as a potential factor in the distribution of retirement benefits to disabled workers establishes a prima facie case of arbitrary discrimination under the ADEA. The ruling below, which found for the EEOC, is reversed.?? Justice Breyer wrote the opinion. Justices Kennedy, Scalia, Ginsburg and Alito dissented. We will provide a link to the decision as soon as it is available.

10:10 - The Court has released the opinion in Indiana v. Edwards (07-208), on whether criminal defendants found competent to stand trial must be permitted to represent themselves. The ruling below, which found for the defendant, is vacated and remanded.?? Justice Breyer wrote the opinion. Justices Scalia and Thomas dissented. We will provide a link to the decision as soon as it is available.

10:14 - The Court has released the opinion in Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (06-1505), on whether, in a disparate impact suit under the ADEA, workers or employers bear the burden of persuasion in determining whether the employment decision was based on ???reasonable factors other than age.??? The ruling below, which found for the employer, is ??vacated and remanded.?? Justice Souter wrote the opinion. Justice Thomas partially dissented. We will provide a link to the decision as soon as it is available.

10:17 - The Court has released the opinion in Chamber of Commerce v. Brown (06-939), on whether federal labor law preempts a California statute barring employers from using state money to influence union organizing campaigns. The ruling below, which upheld the state law, is reversed and remanded.?? Justice Stevens wrote the opinion. Justices Breyer and Ginsburg dissented. We will provide a link to the decision as soon as it is available.

10:18 - That’s the last opinion of the day.?? Next opinion day is Monday.?? There are now 10 outstanding cases.

Full post as published by SCOTUSBLOG on June 19, 2008 (boomark / email).