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United Refining Co. v. Cottillion

Petition for certiorari denied on October 2, 2015

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
15-66 3d Cir. N/A N/A N/A N/A OT 2015

Issue: (1) Whether, as the Third Circuit held below and the Sixth Circuit also has ruled, Section 1054(g) of the Employee Retirement and Security Act's prohibition on a plan "amendment" can include an administrator's interpretation of the terms of a legitimate plan provision - or whether, as the D.C., Seventh, and Ninth Circuits have held, a plan "amendment" under Section 1054(g) refers only to changes an employer makes to plan language; and (2) whether the administrator's new interpretation of the plan was reasonable, subject to deference under Conkright v. Frommert, and not grounds for a claim under either Section 1054(g) or Section 1132(a)(1)(B) that it denied participants benefits due under the terms of the plan.

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
07/13/2015Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 14, 2015)
08/14/2015Brief of respondents John Cottillion and Beverly Eldridge, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated in opposition filed.
08/14/2015Brief amicus curiae of The American Benefits Council filed.
09/01/2015Reply of petitioners United Refining Company, et al. filed. (Distributed)
09/02/2015DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 28, 2015.
10/05/2015Petition DENIED.