14 Penn Plaza Llc et al. v. Steven Pyett et al.

Decided April 1, 2009. Clarence Thomas delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 07-581 · 556 U.S. 247 (2009) · Cited 434 times

Holding

A provision in a collective-bargaining agreement that clearly and unmistakably requires union members to arbitrate ADEA claims is enforceable as a matter of federal law.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 5–4.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Gilmer v. Interstate/Johnson Lane Corp. · 500 U.S. 20 (1991)
• Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Co. · 415 U.S. 36 (1974)
• Barrentine v. Arkansas-Best Freight System, Inc. · 450 U.S. 728 (1981)
• Wright v. Universal Maritime Service Corp. · 525 U.S. 70 (1998)
• Mitsubishi Motors Corp. v. Soler Chrysler-Plymouth, Inc. · 473 U.S. 614 (1985)
• Rodriguez De Quijas v. Shearson/American Express, Inc. · 490 U.S. 477 (1989)
• Wilko v. Swan · 346 U.S. 427 (1953)
• McDonald v. City of West Branch · 466 U.S. 284 (1984)
• Shearson/American Express Inc. v. McMahon · 482 U.S. 220 (1987)
• Green Tree Financial Corp.-Alabama v. Randolph · 531 U.S. 79 (2000)
• Circuit City Stores, Inc. v. Adams · 532 U.S. 105 (2001)
• McKennon v. Nashville Banner Publishing Co. · 513 U.S. 352 (1995)
• Emporium Capwell Co. v. Western Addition Community Organization · 420 U.S. 50 (1975)
• Patterson v. McLean Credit Union · 491 U.S. 164 (1989)
• Granfinanciera, S.A. v. Nordberg · 492 U.S. 33 (1989)
• Litton Financial Printing Div., Litton Business Systems, Inc. v. NLRB · 501 U.S. 190 (1991)
• Communications Workers of America v. Beck · 487 U.S. 735 (1988)
• Hilton v. South Carolina Public Railways Commission · 502 U.S. 197 (1991)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Magnavox Co. of Tennessee · 415 U.S. 322 (1974)
• Rita v. United States · 551 U.S. 338 (2007)
• United Steelworkers v. Warrior & Gulf Navigation Co. · 363 U.S. 574 (1960)
• Vaca v. Sipes · 386 U.S. 171 (1967)
• DelCostello v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters · 462 U.S. 151 (1983)
• Textile Workers v. Lincoln Mills of Ala. · 353 U.S. 448 (1957)
• Heckler v. Campbell · 461 U.S. 458 (1983)
• Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Thurston · 469 U.S. 111 (1985)
• Scherk v. Alberto-Culver Co. · 417 U.S. 506 (1974)
• Lorillard v. Pons · 434 U.S. 575 (1978)
• United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co. · 200 U.S. 321 (1906)
• Ratzlaf v. United States · 510 U.S. 135 (1994)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• American Express Co. v. Italian Colors Restaurant · 570 U.S. 228 (2013)
• Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. · 557 U.S. 167 (2009)
• Stolt-Nielsen S. A. v. AnimalFeeds International Corp. · 559 U.S. 662 (2010)
• Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis · 584 U.S. 497 (2018)
• Janus v. State, County, and Municipal Employees · 585 U.S. 878 (2018)
• Compucredit Corp. v. Greenwood · 565 U.S. 95 (2012)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

Explore from here

Clarence Thomas’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (2009). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).