Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana

Disclosure: Goldstein & Russell, P.C., whose attorneys contribute to SCOTUSblog in various capacities, is counsel on an amicus brief in support of the petitioner in this case.

Holding: The Federal Arbitration Act preempts a rule of California law that invalidates contractual waivers of the right to assert representative claims under PAGA — the California Private Attorneys General Act — insofar as that rule precludes division of PAGA actions into individual and non-individual claims through an agreement to arbitrate.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 8-1, in an opinion by Justice Alito on June 15, 2022. Justice Alito delivered the opinion of the court, in which Justices Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Gorsuch joined, in which Chief Justice Roberts joined as to Parts I and III, and in which Justices Kavanaugh and Barrett joined as to Parts III. Justice Sotomayor filed a concurring opinion. Justice Barrett filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, in which Justice Kavanaugh joined, and in which Chief Justice Roberts joined as to all but the footnote. Justice Thomas filed a dissenting opinion.