No. 18-1279

K. Wendell Lewis, et al. v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

Lower Court: District of Columbia
Docketed: 2019-04-08
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Experienced Counsel
Tags: 29-usc-1303(f) appropriate-equitable-relief circuit-split disgorgement equitable-relief erisa erisa-title-iv fiduciary-duties fiduciary-duty pension-benefit-guaranty-corporation pension-plan pension-plans statutory-interpretation
Key Terms:
Arbitration ERISA
Latest Conference: 2019-06-13
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does § 1344(c) preclude disgorgement of profits from the Corporation as an appropriate equitable remedy under §1303(f) for the Corporation's breaches of fiduciary duties?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED Title IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) covers pension plans terminated when distressed and establishes the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“the Corporation”) as insurer of such plans. Title IV’s enforcement provision for suits against the Corporation — 29 U.S.C. § 1303(f) — provides, without qualification, for “appropriate equitable relief” against the Corporation, including in instances where the Corporation serves as a fiduciary with respect to a terminated plan’s remaining assets. In their case law on the meaning of “appropriate equitable relief’ in the remedial section of Title I of ERISA, 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a)(8), this Court and the lower courts have indicated that monetary compensation, such as disgorgement of ill-gotten profits, is available against breaching fiduciaries. But the D.C. Circuit below held that disgorgement is not “appropriate equitable relief” against the Corporation because of a separate section of Title IV: 29 U.S.C. § 13844(c). Section 1344(c) addresses who shall be “credited” with gains on pensionplan assets after a plan is terminated. Contrary to the Second and Fourth Circuits’ view of § 1344(c), but in line with the Ninth Circuit’s, the D.C. Circuit read § 1344(c) to require that, in all instances, a gain in value on a terminated plan’s assets must go to the Corporation, even where — as here — those gains result from serious fiduciary breaches by the Corporation. The Question Presented is: Does § 1344(c) preclude disgorgement of profits from the Corporation as an appropriate equitable remedy under §1303(f) for the Corporation’s breaches of fiduciary duties?

Docket Entries

2019-06-17
Petition DENIED. Justice Kavanaugh took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.
2019-05-28
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/13/2019.
2019-05-28
Letter from petitioners K. Wendell Lewis, et al. recieved.
2019-05-24
Reply of petitioners K. Wendell Lewis, et al. filed.
2019-05-08
Brief of respondent Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in opposition filed.
2019-04-04
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 8, 2019)
2019-03-12
Application (18A920) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until April 4, 2019.
2019-03-11
Application (18A920) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from March 21, 2019 to April 4, 2019, submitted to The Chief Justice.

Attorneys

K. Wendell Lewis, et al.
Anthony F. ShelleyMiller & Chevalier Chartered, Petitioner
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Joseph Martin Krettek IIPension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Respondent