Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/11pdf/10-1121c4d6.pdf
Page Number: 33

6 

KNOX v. SERVICE EMPLOYEES 

SOTOMAYOR, J., concurring in judgment 

of  fees  levied  to  cover  nonchargeable  expenses,  our  prior 
decisions  approach,  if  they  do  not  cross,  the  limit  of  what 
the First Amendment can tolerate.”  Ante, at 14 (emphasis 
added);  see  also  ante,  at  21–22  (“[B]y  allowing  unions  to 
collect  any  fees  from  nonmembers  and  by  permitting
unions  to  use  opt-out  rather  than  opt-in  schemes  when 
annual  dues  are  billed,  our  cases  have  substantially  im-
pinged  upon  the  First  Amendment  rights  of  nonmem-
bers”);  ante,  at  11–12  (“Once  it  is  recognized  . . .  that  a 
nonmember cannot be forced to fund a union’s political or 
ideological  activities,  what  is  the  justification  for  putting 
the burden on the nonmember to opt out of making such a 
payment?  Shouldn’t  the  default  rule  comport  with  the
probable preferences of most nonmembers?”). 

To  cast  serious  doubt  on  longstanding  precedent  is  a
step  we  historically  take  only  with  the  greatest  caution 
and reticence.  To do so, as the majority does, on our own
invitation  and  without  adversarial  presentation  is  both 
unfair  and  unwise.  It  deprives  the  parties  and  potential 
amici  of  the  opportunity  to  brief  and  argue  the  question. 
It deprives us of the benefit of argument that the parties,
with  concrete  interests  in  the  question,  are  surely  better
positioned  than  we  to  set  forth.    See  NASA,  562  U. S.,  at 
___,  n. 10  (opinion  for  the  Court  by  ALITO,  J.)  (slip  op., 
at  11,  n. 10)  (“It  is  undesirable  for  us  to  decide  a  matter 
of  this  importance  in  a  case  in  which  we  do  not  have  the
benefit  of  briefing  by  the  parties  and  in  which  potential 
amici had little notice that the matter might be decided”).
Not  content  with  our  task,  prescribed  by  Article  III,  of 
answering  constitutional  questions,  the  majority  today
decides to ask them as well.