The case library · Public record
Real matters, read the way a record should be read.
Every matter below is a real, publicly reported decision. The facts and documents come from the published opinions, which are public record. Each one is laid out as a sequence, then as exhibits, then as a reading of what the record can support — the same three movements the working case room uses.
Preview. Not legal advice. Attorney-reviewed: false.
The readings are illustrative. They are not the courts' reasoning, not a prediction of any outcome, and not a valuation.
10 of 10 matters
Retaliation
548 U.S. 53 · 2006
Supreme Court of the United States
Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White
A forklift operator — the only woman in her maintenance department — complained that her supervisor made repeated sexually offensive remarks. She was removed from forklift duty to more arduous standard track labor, and later suspended without pay for 37 days before the suspension was reversed and back pay awarded.
Jury verdict for the employee, affirmed
Completeness
94/100
Open the record
Retaliation
555 U.S. 271 · 2009
Supreme Court of the United States
Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County
A 30-year employee answered questions in her employer's internal investigation of a colleague's alleged harassment, describing conduct she had experienced. She was fired soon after the investigation closed, on stated grounds of embezzlement. No one was disciplined over the conduct she described.
Summary judgment for the employer, reversed
Completeness
91/100
Open the record
Harassment
510 U.S. 17 · 1993
Supreme Court of the United States
Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc.
A rental company manager was subjected to repeated demeaning remarks and sexual innuendo by the company president in front of coworkers over roughly two years. The lower court found the conduct offensive but not severe enough to seriously affect her psychological well-being.
Judgment for the employer, reversed
Completeness
86/100
Open the record
Harassment
524 U.S. 775 · 1998
Supreme Court of the United States
Faragher v. City of Boca Raton
A city lifeguard alleged that two of her supervisors repeatedly subjected her and other female lifeguards to offensive touching and lewd remarks over several years. The city had a harassment policy but had not effectively communicated it to the beach operations staff.
Judgment for the employer, reversed
Completeness
74/100
Open the record
Discrimination
411 U.S. 792 · 1973
Supreme Court of the United States
McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green
A mechanic laid off in a workforce reduction participated in protest activity against his former employer's hiring practices. When the company later advertised for mechanics, he applied and was rejected, with the company citing his participation in the protest.
Remanded for trial on pretext
Completeness
88/100
Open the record
Wrongful termination
530 U.S. 133 · 2000
Supreme Court of the United States
Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Products, Inc.
A 57-year-old supervisor with roughly 40 years of service was fired for allegedly failing to maintain accurate attendance records. He produced evidence that the timekeeping records were in fact accurate and that a decision-maker had made age-related remarks.
Judgment for the employer, reversed
Completeness
95/100
Open the record
Wage and hour
571 U.S. 220 · 2014
Supreme Court of the United States
Sandifer v. United States Steel Corp.
Steelworkers sought pay for time spent putting on and taking off protective gear — flame-retardant jacket and pants, hood, gloves, boots, hard hat, glasses, earplugs, and a respirator — arguing this time was compensable rather than excluded as “changing clothes” under the collective bargaining provision.
Collective action; judgment for the employer affirmed
Completeness
79/100
Open the record
Wage and hour
577 U.S. 442 · 2016
Supreme Court of the United States
Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo
Pork processing employees claimed unpaid overtime for donning and doffing protective equipment. Because the employer had not kept records of that time, the employees relied on a representative study of average donning-and-doffing minutes to prove class-wide liability and damages.
Class and collective action; judgment for the employees affirmed
Completeness
89/100
Open the record
Discrimination
564 U.S. 338 · 2011
Supreme Court of the United States
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes
Roughly 1.5 million current and former female employees sought certification of a nationwide class alleging that the company's practice of delegating pay and promotion decisions to local managers produced discriminatory outcomes.
Class certification reversed
Completeness
66/100
Open the record
Harassment
523 U.S. 75 · 1998
Supreme Court of the United States
Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc.
A roustabout on an offshore oil platform alleged he was subjected to sex-related humiliating conduct, physical assault, and threats by male coworkers, including members of the supervisory chain. His complaints to a higher supervisor produced no remedial action, and he resigned.
Judgment for the employer, reversed
Completeness
73/100
Open the record
Why a library and not a single example
One case shows a shape. Ten cases show which shapes hold, which fall apart, and where the record ran out.
Walk the founder model