Forum
U.S. Supreme Court
Case Status
Decided
Docket Number
Term
2018 Term
Oral Argument Date
October 03, 2018
Lower Court Opinion
Questions Presented
1. Whether a dispute over applicability of the FAA’s Section 1 exemption is an arbitrability issue that must be resolved in arbitration pursuant to a valid delegation clause.
2. Whether the FAA’s Section 1 exemption, which applies on its face only to “contracts of employment,” is inapplicable to independent contractor agreements.
Case Updates
U.S. Supreme Court issues decision on arbitration in transportation industry
January 15, 2019
Supreme Court issued a unanimous 8-0 decision that the exception to the Federal Arbitration Act for “contracts of employment” for certain workers in interstate transportation includes workers categorized as independent contractors. The decision may make it substantially more difficult for businesses in the interstate transportation industry to enforce arbitration agreements with their independent contractor workers. The Chamber filed amicus briefs in support of cert. and at the merits stage opposing this result.
U.S. Chamber files amicus brief in U.S. Supreme Court defending application of the Federal Arbitration Act to independent contractors engaged in interstate commerce
May 21, 2018
Click here to view the amicus brief filed by the U.S. Chamber and Society for Human Resource Management.
Andrew J. Pincus, Archis A. Parasharami, and Daniel E. Jones of Mayer Brown LLP served as co-counsel for the amici.
Cert. petition granted
February 26, 2018
U.S. Chamber urges U.S. Supreme Court to protect enforceability of arbitration agreements with independent contractors in interstate transportation industry
October 06, 2017
A First Circuit panel held that the FAA does not apply to independent contractors in the transportation industry. The panel reasoned that such independent contractors fall within the exception to the FAA for “contracts of employment of seamen, railroad employees, or any other class of workers engaged in foreign or interstate commerce.” After the rehearing petition was denied, New Prime, Inc. filed a petition for certiorari, which the U.S. Chamber filed an amicus brief supporting.
Andrew J. Pincus, Archis A. Parahsarami, and Daniel E. Jones of Mayer Brown LLP served as co-counsel for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center.
Case Documents
- Opinion -- Oliveira v. New Prime, Inc. (First Circuit).pdf
- Cert. Petition with Appendix -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- U.S. Chamber Amicus Brief -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- Respondent's Brief in Opposition -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- Reply Brief for Petitioner -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- Brief for Petitioner -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- Joint Appendix -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- Cato Institute Amicus Brief -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- American Trucking Associations, Inc. Amicus Brief -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- U.S. Chamber Amicus Brief (merits) -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- New England Legal Foundation Amicus Brief -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- Customized Logistics and Delivery Association Amicus Brief -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- Transcript of Oral Argument -- New Prime, Inc. v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf
- Opinion -- New Prime v. Oliveira (U.S. Supreme Court).pdf