Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Karl Hansen v. Tesla, Inc., et al.
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 23-15296 · judgment December 10, 2024
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Questions presented
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Whether a confirmed arbitration award on related or overlapping claims may be given issue-preclusive effect so as to bar a Sarbanes-Oxley (“SOX”) whistleblower claim, notwithstanding 18 U.S.C. § 1514A(e)’s explicit prohibition against forcing SOX claims into predispute arbitration.
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Whether the court of appeals’ holding that an arbitration award confirmed by a district court triggers full preclusive effect over a statutorily nonarbitrable SOX claim contravenes the narrow rule set forth in Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Co., 415 U.S. 36
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and reaffirmed in 14 Penn Plaza LLC v. Pyett, 556 U.S. 247 (2009), which bars arbitral preclusion of statutory claims that were never authorized for arbitration in the first place.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Robert L. Sirianni Jr.
Brownstone, P.A.
For respondent
Christopher F. Robertson
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Proceedings
- Jun 30 2025Petition DENIED.
- Jun 10 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/26/2025.
- May 13 2025Waiver of right of respondents Tesla, Inc., et al. to respond filed.
- Apr 14 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 27, 2025)
- Jan 19 2025Application (24A701) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until May 9, 2025.
- Jan 13 2025Application (24A701) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from March 10, 2025 to May 9, 2025, submitted to Justice Kagan.