In its first 5-4 merits decision of the term, the Supreme Court yesterday divided on the meaning of the federal supplemental jurisdiction statute’s tolling provision.
Artis v. District of Columbia turns largely on a single word — “tolled.” The justices spent nearly an hour yesterday pondering what that word means in the context of the federal supplemental-jurisdiction statute.
Artis v. District of Columbia, which is set for argument next Wednesday, reminds us that much of the Supreme Court’s work is decidedly unglamorous. The court’s task will be to determine how long a tolling provision in the federal supplemental jurisdiction statute gives litigants to pursue certain claims in state court.