Document: 493 U.S. 165 110 S.Ct. 482 107 L.Ed.2d 480 HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE INC., Petitionerv.Richard SPERLING et al. No. 88-1203. Argued Oct. 2, 1989. Decided Dec. 11, Syllabus After petitioner employer ordered a reduction in force and discharged or demoted some 1,200 workers, respondent affected employees filed the District Court collective action seeking relief under Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. § 621 seq. In order to meet requirement 216(b)—a provision Fair Labor Standards 1938 (FLSA) incorporated ADEA by 626(b)—that an individual may become party plaintiff only if he files with court his "consent writing," respondents moved for discovery names addresses similarly situated requested that send notice all potential plaintiffs who had not yet consents. The held it could facilitate suit absent class members appropriate cases so long as avoided communicating any encouragement join approval on its merits. Thus it, inter alia, comply request authorized joined court-approved consent document stating been but taken no position merits case. Appeals affirmed, ruling there was legal impediment court-authorized It declined review notice's form contents, including Court's authorization statement. Held: courts have discretion, cases, implement 216(b), 626(b), actions facilitating plaintiffs. However, did Appeals, this declines examine terms used here. Pp. 169-174. (a) correct permit employees' addresses, since such relevant subject matter action, were grounds limit facts circumstances P. 170. (b) Once is filed, district has managerial responsibility oversee joinder additional parties assure task accomplished efficient way discretion begin involvement at point initial rather than later time. Court-authorized counter misuse device, avoids multiplicity duplicative suits, sets reasonable cutoff dates expedite action's disposition. Moreover, monitoring preparation distribution notice, can ensure timely, accurate, informative, settle disputes about content before distributed. Federal Rules Civil Procedure 83—which endorses measures regulate multiparty suit—and 16(b)—which requires entry scheduling orders limiting time for, parties—provide further support trial court's authority. Petitioner's contention process would thwart Congress' intention relieve employers from burden actions, expressed FLSA's 1947 amendments, rejected, those amendments merely limited private FLSA asserted their own rights, thus abolishing right sue representatives personal interest suit's outcome, left intact "similarly situated" language providing actions. 170-173. (c) This decision does imply unbridled managing exercising discretionary authority notice-giving process, must be scrupulous respect judicial neutrality avoiding even appearance endorsement action. 174. 862 F.2d 439 (CA 3 1988), affirmed remanded. KENNEDY, J., delivered opinion Court, which BRENNAN, WHITE, MARSHALL, BLACKMUN, STEVENS, O'CONNOR, JJ., joined. SCALIA, dissenting opinion, REHNQUIST, C.J., joined, post, p. John A. Ridley, Newark, N.J., petitioner. Leonard N. Flamm, New York City, respondents. Justice KENNEDY Court. 1 81 Stat. 602, amended, (1982 ed. Supp. V), provides employee bring behalf himself other situated. To resolve disagreement among Courts Appeals,1 we granted certiorari question whether conducting type authorize pending 489 1077, 109 1526, 103 832 (1989). 2 * discrimination employment forbidden 4 ADEA. 623 V). Section 7(b) incorporates enforcement provisions (FLSA), 52 1060, 201 shall enforced using certain powers, remedies, procedures FLSA. controversy centers around one incorporates, states, pertinent part, "may maintained against . State competent jurisdiction more themselves No unless gives writing brought." 216(b) ed.). 1985, Hoffman-La Roche Inc. work workers. Richard Sperling, respondents, age charge Equal Opportunity Commission With assistance counsel, Sperling formed group known Discriminatees Asking Redress (R.A.D.A.R.). mailed letter, R.A.D.A.R. letterhead, 600 whom identified protected class. letter advised brought invited addressees filling out returning enclosed form, fulfilling statutory writing." 5 Respondents and, through R.A.D.A.R.'s letters informal contacts, received over 400 receive suit, employees. They also Petitioner opposed both motions cross-motion asking invalidate consents already ground solicitation misleading. addition, "corrective notice" individuals 6 these matters produce "permissible merits." 118 F.R.D. 392, 402 (NJ 1988). document, text approved court. attached interlocutory order. At end statement Id., 417. Finally, refused filed. 7 found regarding met requirements immediate appeal, 28 1292(b) ed., permitted appeal portion ruling. "there case." 439, 447 (CA3 contents particular, pass upon concluding II 8 As comes us, case presents narrow whether, play role prescribing conditions communication named whose brought. We hold ed.), 626(b) illustrate propriety, necessity, intervention process. decline here, indicating authorization. confirm existence details exercise. 9 Without pausing explore alternative bases discovery, instance might knowledge discoverable matter, find suffices say 10 ADEA, incorporation 16(b), expressly authorizes "in situated." Congress stated policy should opportunity proceed collectively. A allows advantage lower costs vindicate rights pooling resources. system benefits resolution proceeding common issues law fact arising same alleged discriminatory activity. 11 These benefits, however, depend receiving accurate timely concerning pendency they make informed decisions participate. 216(b)'s affirmative permission grant requisite procedural manage joining multiple manner orderly, sensible, otherwise contrary commands Procedure. See Fed.Rule Civ.Proc. 83. follows that, once proper way. 12 recognized substantial communications are single involving parties. Gulf Oil Co. v. Bernard, 452 89, 101, 101 2193, 2200, 68 693 (1981), erred entering effect prohibited between others Rule 23 Observing serve important goals present opportunities abuse, noted "[b]ecause duty broad exercise control enter governing conduct counsel parties." U.S., 100, S.Ct., 2200. justifications apply context Although designed function preventing discrimination, misleading communications, countered notice.2 13 Because inevitable numerous where written required statute, lies within early, One most significant insights skilled judges gained recent years wisdom necessity early management litigation. Peckham, Judge Case Manager: Role Guiding Filing Disposition, 69 Calif.L.Rev. 770 (1981); Schwarzer, Managing Litigation: Trial Judge's Role, 61 Judicature (1978). better major ascertains contours outset. waiting passively objections obtained. By informative. Both benefit settling procedure avoid need cancel obtained improper manner. 14 instant illustrative. objected first sent respondents' alleging inaccurate based invalid court, resisted Questions validity intertwined. 15 serves legitimate goal suits setting disposition case, part order, set date filing consents, bound do diligent fashion. approving sent, assured reasonable, having series unauthorized gossip 16 explicit direction plaintiffs, provide notice. Under 83, courts, "not provided rule," "regulate practice inconsistent with" federal local rules. 83 suit. Co., supra, 99, n. 10, 2199, 10. well settled, traditionally exercised considerable "to affairs achieve orderly expeditious cases." Link Wabash R. 370 626, 630-631, 82 1386, 1389, 734 (1962) (court sua sponte dismiss failure prosecute). fashion reinforced requiring various pretrial steps conferences, encouraged address "the adopting special potentially difficult protracted involve complex issues, [or] ." 16(c)(10). 17 reject petitioner's 1938, gave "representatives" recover amounts due specified statute. enacting Portal-to-Portal 1947, made changes procedures. responding excessive litigation spawned lacking representative possessing claims abolished, file added. 93 Cong.Rec. 538, 2182 (1947) (remarks Sen. Donnell). amendment purpose freeing ch. 52, §§ 5(a), 6, 7, 87-88. one. remedial statute full extent terms. 18 Our purposes distinguishable claims. neutrality. end, take care 19 judgment Third Circuit remanded proceedings consistent opinion. 20 ordered. 21 THE CHIEF JUSTICE joins, dissenting. 22 holds use compulsory assist locating nonparties similar claims, obtaining prosecution I know source extraordinary power, dissent. read think what issue here nothing routine management. told "managerial parties" ante, 171, protect concerned—plaintiffs, defendants, itself when abandon "passiv[e]" stance instead undertake "early intervention" identifying people cause securing Ante, 171-172. And doing good avail "considerable 'to cases.' " 172-173 (quoting 1388-1389, (1962)). 24 difficulty sweeping rug "case management" adjudication claim helped notify not, orders, "[n]o true, course, regarded future cases—assuring, willing, will different times. But handling simpler efficient. Surely judge's "manage" never thought expansive adjudicate them—i.e., extend actually 25 activity today application Article III Constitution controversies. See, e.g., Muskrat United States, 219 346, 353-363, 31 250, 252-256, 55 L.Ed. 246 (1911); Gordon 117 697, 699-706 (1864); States Ferreira, 54 (13 How.) 40, 48-52, 40 (1852); Hayburn's Case, (2 Dall.) 409, 410, 436 (1792). meaning controversy" elucidated Chief Marshall many ago: 26 "This clause [Art. III, cl. 1] enables department constitution, laws, treaties respecting them assume power capable acting it. That submitted asserts prescribed law. then becomes Osborn Bank Wheat. 738, 819, 204 (1824) (emphasis added). 27 facilitated "managed" doubts, give executive agency compel disclosure prior names, invite existing counsel. giving directed, dispute generation disputes, is, unconstitutional, least accord age-old practices surely assumed clearly conferred. Yet searches vain command novel role. First, confers power. dealing capacity consented representation. characterizes "affirmative permission" derives "grant [of] 170 Of course reality all, limitation exists (That say, without employees.) accepting notion see how converts into implied unheard-of midwifing doubt possess powers prominently satisfy purportedly representative, given valid simply courts' ever-present inquire them. reason general "procedural seems me fallacious. Nothing remotely either directly lending efforts party's counsel—to search claimants, accurately litigation, like seeks minimize novelty analogizing earlier acknowledged former kept (1981). There comparison. qualifies certification (except 23(b)(3) elect opt out). 23(c)(3). supervise participation pending. specifically provide, example, may, instances must, 23(c)(2) (requiring date); 23(d) (authorizing 23(b)(1) (b)(2) litigation). says public large. 30 Nor agree claimed with, foreclosed 82, "shall construed venue therein." Authority neither achieves nor assists appears violate prohibition—and urgings efficiency justification ignoring Cf. Finley 490 545, 553, 2003, 2009, 104 593 (1989) (plaintiff Tort Claims impleader 20, pendent third-party independent jurisdiction); Owen Equipment & Erection Kroger, 437 365, 370, 98 2396, 2400, 57 274 (1978) (Rule 14's affect complete diversity actions). expand fashion, suggests done so. relies 16, which, authorizing conferences admonishes parties, questions, unusual proof problems." certainly strange confer new mentioning (as subjects considered) conferences. "manage actions" cannot reasonably refer entirely clear Rule's catchall provision, "such aid action." 16(c)(11) repeated reliance strained snaps. states: "In rule, rules act." "regulation practice" respond pointing all—unless means "regulating includes impositions whatever. 32 addition being void because lack act unrelated issued 26. 26(b), entitled "Discovery Scope Limits," provides: 33 "Unless accordance rules, scope follows: 34 "(1) Parties obtain privileged, involved relates defense party, existence, description, nature, custody, condition location books, documents, tangible things identity persons matter. objection information sought inadmissible reason- ably calculated lead admissible evidence." (Emphasis added.) 35 action," plainly intended sense constituting, "lead[ing] of," evidence. contrary, entered solely "facilitate members," sustained putative 444 (1988). Discovery authorized. notes casually "paus[e] matter." suggest "alternative discovery," permissible discovery. speculation "might" exist affirmance squarely another ground. Thus, reach bends understood case-or-controversy limitations invents beyond confer. 36 serious today's makes economical cases—not separately perfectly willing instead. concede justification, least, valid. problem 37 If economy constitute sufficient warrant imagine areas touts—whenever, fact, identifiable possess. suggestion rendered distinctive "explicit plaintiffs," 172, unpersuasive. 216 directs (permissive joinder) (in words 20) "join [who] assert [a] transaction, occurrence, transactions occurrences arise 20(a). 38 little historical irony today. "Stirring up litigation" exclusively occupation disreputable lawyers, roundly condemned American courts. Peck Heurich, 167 624, 629-630, 927, 928-929, 42 302 (1897); Grinnell Railroad Company, 739, 744, 456 (1881). managing" bureaucracy, our perceptions changed. Seeking notifying sleeping yields economies scale demeaned drain resources now praised cutting-edge tool administration. Perhaps is. justify taking hand Even less rush (not compulsion invitation) deprecatingly calls "passive" determining come them, regard natural components inquisitors justice arbiters adversarial 39 respectfully Compare Braunstein Eastern Photographic Laboratories, Inc., 335, 336 (CA2 1978) (per curiam) (under Act, nature suits), cert. denied, 441 944, 99 2162, 60 1046 (1979); Woods Life Ins. 686 578, 580-581 (CA7 1982) (allowing notice); Cook, 795 987, 993 Fed.1986), McKenna Champion International Corp., 747 1211, 1213-1217 (CA8 1984) (disapproving Dolan Project Construction 725 1263, 1267-1269 (CA10 1984); Partlow Jewish Orphans' Home Southern Cal., 645 757, 758-759 (CA9 1981); Kinney Shoe Corp. Vorhes, 564 859, 864 1977). conflicts Shapero Kentucky Bar Assn., 486 466, 108 1916, 100 475 (1988), implicated us.

Category: 8