Hughes Aircraft Company, et al. v. Stanley I. Jacobson et al.

Decided January 25, 1999. Clarence Thomas delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 97-1287 · 525 U.S. 432 (1999) · Cited 798 times

Holding

The Plan’s amendments are not prohibited by ERISA.

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 9–0.

“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.

• LOCKHEED CORP. Et Al. v. SPINK · 517 U.S. 882 (1996)
• Nachman Corp. v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation · 446 U.S. 359 (1980)
• Connecticut National Bank v. Germain · 503 U.S. 249 (1992)
• Curtiss-Wright Corp. v. Schoonejongen · 514 U.S. 73 (1995)
• Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc. · 463 U.S. 85 (1983)
• Varity Corp. v. Howe · 516 U.S. 489 (1996)
• Mertens v. Hewitt Associates · 508 U.S. 248 (1993)
• Alessi v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc. · 451 U.S. 504 (1981)
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation v. LTV Corp. · 496 U.S. 633 (1990)
• Estate of Cowart v. Nicklos Drilling Co. · 505 U.S. 469 (1992)
• Connolly v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation · 475 U.S. 211 (1986)
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters v. Daniel · 439 U.S. 551 (1979)
• Guidry v. Sheet Metal Workers National Pension Fund · 493 U.S. 365 (1990)
• Commissioner v. Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc. · 508 U.S. 152 (1993)
• Alabama Power Co. v. Davis · 431 U.S. 581 (1977)
• Mead Corp. v. Tilley · 490 U.S. 714 (1989)

Cited by

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

• Thole v. U. S. Bank N. A. · 590 U.S. 538 (2020)
• Metropolitan Life Insurance v. Glenn · 554 U.S. 105 (2008)
• Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media · 588 U.S. 427 (2019)
• BedRoc Limited, LLC v. United States · 541 U.S. 176 (2004)
• Harris Trust & Savings Bank v. Salomon Smith Barney Inc. · 530 U.S. 238 (2000)
• Lamie v. United States Trustee · 540 U.S. 526 (2004)
• Pegram v. Herdrich · 530 U.S. 211 (2000)
• Lorillard Tobacco Co. v. Reilly · 533 U.S. 525 (2001)
• Howard Delivery Service, Inc. v. Zurich American Insurance · 547 U.S. 651 (2006)
• Axon Enterprise, Inc. v. FTC · 598 U.S. 175 (2023)

Official text

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

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1999). 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).