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Parker-Hannifin Corporation, et al. v. Michael D. Johnson, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, No. 24-3014 · judgment November 20, 2024


1%
estimated cert probability
(petition-stage, structural)
Conference-stage estimate: 56%
GVR risk 1%

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

Question presented

Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), retirement plan fiduciaries have a duty to remove imprudent investments from their plan within a reasonable time. Hughes v. Nw. Univ., 595 U.S. 170, 176 (2022). In deciding whether a complaint adequately pleads an imprudent-investment claim, “courts must give due regard to the range of reasonable judgments a fiduciary may make based on her experience and expertise.” Id. at 177. The question presented is: Whether pleading an imprudent-investment claim under ERISA, based on how the investment’s returns compared to some performance benchmark, requires allegations showing that the benchmark is a sound basis for comparison for that investment.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Michael Edward Kenneally Jr.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

For respondent
Sean Edward Soyars
Schlichter Bogard LLC

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 4 conferences

Amicus briefs
2 cert-stage

Proceedings

  1. Jan 12 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/16/2026.
  2. Dec 23 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
  3. Dec 23 2025
    Supplemental brief of respondents Michael D. Johnson, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  4. Dec 23 2025
    Supplemental brief of petitioners Parker-Hannifin Corporation, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  5. Dec 09 2025
    Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.
  6. Jun 30 2025
    The Solicitor General is invited to file a brief in this case expressing the views of the United States. Justice Alito took no part in the consideration of this petition.
  7. Jun 10 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/26/2025.
  8. Jun 09 2025
    Reply of petitioners Parker-Hannifin Corporation, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  9. May 21 2025
    Brief of respondents Michael D. Johnson, et al. in opposition filed.
  10. May 21 2025
    Brief amicus curiae of Encore Fiduciary filed.
  11. Apr 21 2025
    Response Requested. (Due May 21, 2025)
  12. Apr 16 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/2/2025.
  13. Apr 08 2025
    Waiver of right of respondent Michael D. Johnson, et al. to respond filed.
  14. Mar 26 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due April 28, 2025)