Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Gregory Lala, Chairman, Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission, et al. v. Tesla, Incorporated, et al.
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 23-30480 · judgment August 26, 2024
Before the decision, about 2.1× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for counsel who has won certiorari before, a Fifth Circuit decision below, and a state or local-government petitioner.
Question presented
This Court’s cases regarding industry participants on State regulatory boards make it “sufficiently clear” that “those with substantial pecuniary interest in legal proceedings should not adjudicate these disputes.” Gibson v. Berryhill, 411 U.S. 564, 578 (1973). At the same time, however, an industry participant’s mere status as a competitor vis-à-vis a regulated party does not constitute a due process problem. Friedman v. Rogers, 440 U.S. 1, 18 & n.19 (1979). In the decision below (joined by only the authoring judge), the Fifth Circuit reversed the dismissal of a due process claim without identifying the requisite substantial pecuniary interest allegedly held by an industry participant. The question presented is: Whether the Court should grant, vacate, and remand with instructions to the Fifth Circuit to identify any alleged substantial pecuniary interest held by an industry participant.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Jorge Benjamin Aguinaga
Louisiana Department of Justice
For respondent
Ari Benjamin Asher Holtzblatt
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Proceedings
- Jun 23 2025Petition DENIED.
- Jun 21 2025Second Letter Response of Telsa, Incorporated; Tesla Lease Trust; and Tesla Finance, LLC submitted.
- Jun 20 2025Letter Advising the Court of Change in Law of Gregory Lala, et al. submitted.
- Jun 17 2025Letter Advising the Court of Imminent Change in Law of Gregory Lala, et al. submitted.
- Jun 17 2025Letter responding to petitioner's letter advising the Court of imminent change in law of Telsa, Incorporated; Tesla Lease Trust; and Tesla Finance, LLC submitted.
- Jun 03 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/18/2025.
- Jun 03 2025Reply of petitioners Gregory Lala, et al. filed. (Distributed)
- May 15 2025Brief of respondents Telsa, Incorporated, et al. in opposition filed.
- Apr 15 2025Response Requested. (Due May 15, 2025)
- Apr 09 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/25/2025.
- Mar 28 2025Waiver of right of respondents Telsa, Incorporated; Tesla Lease Trust; and Tesla Finance, LLC to respond filed.
- Feb 24 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 28, 2025)
- Jan 21 2025Application (24A599) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until February 24, 2025.
- Jan 14 2025Application (24A599) to extend further the time from January 25, 2025 to February 24, 2025, submitted to Justice Alito.
- Dec 19 2024Application (24A599) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until January 25, 2025.
- Dec 16 2024Application (24A599) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from December 26, 2024 to January 27, 2025, submitted to Justice Alito.