Biestek v. Berryhill

Decided April 1, 2019. Elena Kagan delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 17-1184 · 587 U.S. 97 (2019) · Cited 12,652 times

Holding

A vocational expert’s refusal to provide private market-survey data during a Social Security disability benefits hearing upon the applicant’s request does not categorically preclude the testimony from counting as “substantial evidence” in federal court under 42 U. S. C. §405(g).

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 6–3.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. The lineup is the syllabus’s disposition of who wrote and joined each opinion. Source: the opinion’s syllabus (supremecourt.gov).

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.

• Consolidated Edison Co. v. National Labor Relations Board · 305 U.S. 197 (1938)
• Richardson v. Perales · 402 U.S. 389 (1971)
• Sims v. Apfel · 530 U.S. 103 (2000)
• Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. · 477 U.S. 242 (1986)
• Scott v. Harris · 550 U.S. 372 (2007)
• Lujan v. National Wildlife Federation · 497 U.S. 871 (1990)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Columbian Enameling & Stamping Co. · 306 U.S. 292 (1939)
• Dickinson v. Zurko · 527 U.S. 150 (1999)
• Interstate Circuit, Inc. v. United States · 306 U.S. 208 (1939)
• Interstate Commerce Commission v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad · 227 U.S. 88 (1913)
• Int. Com. Comm. v. Louis. & Nash. RR · 227 U.S. 88 (1913)
• Clifton v. United States · 45 U.S. 242 (1846)
• United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co. · 200 U.S. 321 (1906)
• Dickinson v. Zurko · 527 U.S. 150 (1999)

Cited by

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

• SEC v. Jarkesy · 603 U.S. 109 (2024)
• FDA v. Wages and White Lion Investments, LLC · 604 U.S. 542 (2025)

Official text

Read the official opinion (PDF, supremecourt.gov)

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Elena Kagan’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (2019). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-08-15. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).