Pilot Life Insurance Co. v. Dedeaux

Decided April 6, 1987. Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 85-1043 · 481 U.S. 41 (1987) · Cited 3,459 times

Holding

ERISA pre-empts respondent's suit under state common law for alleged improper processing of his claim for benefits under the ERISA-regulated benefit plan.

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.

• Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance v. Russell · 473 U.S. 134 (1985)
• Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc. · 463 U.S. 85 (1983)
• Allis-Chalmers Corp. v. Lueck · 471 U.S. 202 (1985)
• Metropolitan Life Insurance v. Massachusetts · 471 U.S. 724 (1985)
• Franchise Tax Bd. of Cal. v. Construction Laborers Vacation Trust for Southern Cal. · 463 U.S. 1 (1983)
• Local 174, Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen & Helpers v. Lucas Flour Co. · 369 U.S. 95 (1962)
• Kelly v. Robinson · 479 U.S. 36 (1986)
• Alessi v. Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc. · 451 U.S. 504 (1981)
• Avco Corp. v. Aero Lodge No. 735, International Ass'n of MacHinists & Aerospace Workers · 390 U.S. 557 (1968)
• Northwest Airlines, Inc. v. Transport Workers Union · 451 U.S. 77 (1981)
• Mastro Plastics Corp. v. National Labor Relations Board · 350 U.S. 270 (1956)
• Malone v. White Motor Corp. · 435 U.S. 497 (1978)
• Union Labor Life Insurance v. Pireno · 458 U.S. 119 (1982)
• Offshore Logistics, Inc. v. Tallentire · 477 U.S. 207 (1986)
• Retail Clerks International Ass'n, Local 1625 v. Schermerhorn · 375 U.S. 96 (1963)
• United States v. Heirs of Boisdoré · 49 U.S. 113 (1849)

Cited by

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

• Unum Life Insurance Co. of America v. Ward · 526 U.S. 358 (1999)
• Rush Prudential HMO, Inc. v. Moran · 536 U.S. 355 (2002)
• Ingersoll-Rand Co. v. McClendon · 498 U.S. 133 (1990)
• MacKey v. Lanier Collection Agency & Service, Inc. · 486 U.S. 825 (1988)
• Kentucky Assn. of Health Plans, Inc. v. Miller · 538 U.S. 329 (2003)
• Varity Corp. v. Howe · 516 U.S. 489 (1996)
• Aetna Health Inc. v. Davila · 542 U.S. 200 (2004)
• Metropolitan Life Insurance v. Glenn · 554 U.S. 105 (2008)
• Gade v. National Solid Wastes Management Assn. · 505 U.S. 88 (1992)
• John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance v. Harris Trust & Savings Bank · 510 U.S. 86 (1993)
• Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Bruch · 489 U.S. 101 (1989)
• Morales v. Trans World Airlines, Inc. · 504 U.S. 374 (1992)
• California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement v. Dillingham Construction, N. A. · 519 U.S. 316 (1997)
• District of Columbia v. Greater Washington Board of Trade · 506 U.S. 125 (1992)
• Conkright v. Frommert · 559 U.S. 506 (2010)
• United Sav. Assn. of Tex. v. Timbers of Inwood Forest Associates, Ltd. · 484 U.S. 365 (1988)
• New York State Conference of Blue Cross & Blue Shield Plans v. Travelers Insurance · 514 U.S. 645 (1995)
• Mertens v. Hewitt Associates · 508 U.S. 248 (1993)
• Black & Decker Disability Plan v. Nord · 538 U.S. 822 (2003)
• Gregory v. Ashcroft · 501 U.S. 452 (1991)
• Gomez v. United States · 490 U.S. 858 (1989)
• FMC Corp. v. Holliday · 498 U.S. 52 (1990)
• American Airlines, Inc. v. Wolens · 513 U.S. 219 (1995)
• Crandon v. United States · 494 U.S. 152 (1990)
• Things Remembered, Inc. v. Petrarca · 516 U.S. 124 (1995)
• Barnett Bank of Marion County, N. A. v. Nelson · 517 U.S. 25 (1996)
• Massachusetts v. Morash · 490 U.S. 107 (1989)
• United States Department of Treasury v. Fabe · 508 U.S. 491 (1993)
• Dole v. United Steelworkers · 494 U.S. 26 (1990)
• De Buono v. NYSA-ILA Medical & Clinical Services Fund Ex Rel. Bowers · 520 U.S. 806 (1997)

Official text

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

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1987). 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).