Puerto Rico v. Franklin California Tax-Free Trust
Consolidated with:
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-233 | Mar 22, 2016 | Apr 30, 2025 | 5-2 | Thomas | OT 2015 |
Holding: Section 903(1) of the Bankruptcy Code, which pre-empts state bankruptcy laws that enable insolvent municipalities to restructure their debts over the objections of creditors and instead requires municipalities to restructure such debts under Chapter 9 of the federal Bankruptcy Code, pre-empts the Puerto Rico Public Corporation Debt Enforcement and Recovery Act, which was enacted to enable the commonwealth"s public utilities to implement a recovery or restructuring plan for their debt.
Judgment: Affirmed, 5-2, in an opinion by Justice Thomas on April 30, 2025. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Ginsburg joined. Justice Alito took no part in the consideration or decision.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: Puerto Rico's debt woes left to Congress (Lyle Denniston, June 13, 2016)
- Argument analysis: If only Congress had taken the time to explain . . . (Lyle Denniston, March 22, 2016)
- Argument preview: Puerto Rico's plea for debt rescue (Lyle Denniston, March 15, 2016)
- Court to rule on Puerto Rico debt-relief options (Lyle Denniston, December 4, 2015)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 08/21/2015 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 23, 2015) |
| 09/14/2015 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including October 23, 2015, for all respondents. |
| 09/23/2015 | Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Fundacion Angel Ramos, Inc., et al. |
| 09/23/2015 | Brief amicus curiae of Eduardo Bhatia, President of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico filed. |
| 10/23/2015 | Brief of respondent BlueMountain Capital Management, LLC in opposition filed. VIDED. |
| 10/23/2015 | Brief of respondents Franklin California Tax-Free Trust, et al. in opposition filed. VIDED. |
| 11/09/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 24, 2015. |
| 11/09/2015 | Reply of petitioners Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 11/30/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 4, 2015. |
| 12/04/2015 | Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Fundacion Angel Ramos, Inc., et al. GRANTED. Justice Alito took no part in the consideration or decision of this motion. |
| 12/04/2015 | Petition GRANTED. The petition for a writ of certiorari in No. 15-255 is GRANTED. The cases are consolidated and a total of one hour is allotted for oral argument. Justice Alito took no part in the consideration or decision of these petitions. |
| 12/10/2015 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs in support of either party or of neither party received from counsel for the petitioners. |
| 01/06/2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party received from counsel for the respondents. |
| 01/15/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Gregorio Igartua filed. |
| 01/19/2016 | Joint appendix filed. (Two Volumes) VIDED. (Statement of costs filed) |
| 01/19/2016 | Brief of petitioners Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, et al. filed. |
| 01/19/2016 | Brief of petitioners Melba Acosta-Febo, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/25/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Puerto Rico, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/26/2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for respondent BlueMountain Capital Management, LLC ("BlueMountain"). VIDED |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Fundacion Angel Ramos, Inc., et al. filed. |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority filed. VIDED. |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Professors Clayton P. Gillette and David A. Skeel, Jr. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/26/2016 | Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association. VIDED. |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amici curiae of LatinoJustice PRLDEF, et al. filed. VIDED. |
| 01/29/2016 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, March 22, 2016. VIDED |
| 02/08/2016 | Record requested from U.S.C.A. 1st Circuit. |
| 02/10/2016 | CIRCULATED. |
| 02/10/2016 | Record received from U.S.D.C. District of Puerto Rico is electronic and located on PACER. |
| 02/11/2016 | Record received from U.S.C.A. 1st Circuit is electronic and located on PACER, with the exception of Joint Appendix. (1 Box) |
| 02/18/2016 | Brief of respondent BlueMountain Capital Management, LLC filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 02/18/2016 | Brief of respondents Franklin California Tax-Free Trust, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 02/25/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Scotiabank de Puerto Rico, as Agent for Local Bank Lenders to PREPA filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 02/25/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 02/25/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Association of Financial Guaranty Insurers filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 03/14/2016 | Reply of petitioners Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/15/2016 | Reply of petitioners Melba Acosta-Febo, et al. filed. VIDED. (Distributed) |
| 03/22/2016 | Argued. For petitioners: Christopher Landau, Washington, D. C. For respondents: Matthew D. McGill, Washington, D. C. VIDED |
| 06/13/2016 | Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Thomas, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Breyer, and Kagan, JJ., joined. Sotomayor, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Ginsburg, J., joined. Alito, J., took no part in the consideration or decision of these cases. VIDED |
| 07/15/2016 | JUDGMENT ISSUED |
| 08/18/2016 | Record from U.S.C.A. 1st Circuit has been returned. |