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Michael J. P. v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 20-30361 · judgment September 22, 2021


Certiorari denied · February 28, 2022
Pre-decision estimate: 1% cert probability

Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Questions presented

  1. Whether the Supreme Court’s dicta in Firestone Tire and Rubber Co v. Bruch, 489 U.S. 101, 109 S. Ct. 948, 103 L. Ed. 2d 80 (1989) and the Supreme Court’s ruling in Metro. Life Ins. Co. v. Glenn, 554 U.S. 105, 128 S. Ct. 2343, 171 L. Ed. 2d 299 (2008) render it inappropriate for courts to apply an “arbitrary and capricious” standard to resolve ERISA cases involving plan beneficiary challenges to a negative benefit eligibility determination by a plan administrator afforded discretion over such determination by terms of the governing ERISA plan.

  2. Whether the Supreme Court’s holding in Universal Camera Corp. v. NLRB, 340 U.S. 474, 71 S. Ct. 456, 95 L. Ed. 456 (1951) requires courts engaging in “substantial evidence” review of ERISA claims to seriously consider and weigh evidence opposing the administrator’s decision.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Carla Sue Sigler
Sigler Law, Inc.

For respondent
James Christopher Martin
Reed Smith LLP

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Feb 28 2022
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Feb 09 2022
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/25/2022.
  3. Feb 03 2022
    Waiver of right of respondent Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, et al. to respond filed.
  4. Jan 24 2022
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due February 25, 2022)