Question Presented (AI Summary)
Whether a State's formal financial liability for a judgment against a state-created entity carries more weight in assessing whether that entity is an arm of the State than other factors, including the State's own characterization of that entity, and whether NJ Transit is an arm of the State of New Jersey for interstate sovereign immunity purposes
Question Presented (OCR Extract)
States are entitled to sovereign immunity from private suits in other States’ courts, including state created entities that function as “arms of the State.” Petitioner New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit), a state created entity, was named as a defendant in a private suit in New York . The New York Court of Appeals relied primarily on the financial impact of a judgment against NJ Transit to hold that NJ Transit was not an arm of New Jersey —even as previous and subsequent state and federal courts held exactly the opposite. The questions presented are : (1) Whether a State’s formal financial liability for a judgment against a state -created entity carries more weight in assessing whether that entity is an arm of the State than other factors, including the State’s own characterization of that entity . (2) Whether NJ Transit is an arm of the State of New Jersey for interstate sovereign immunity purposes .
2025-12-02
Record received electronically from the Court of Appeals of New York and available with the Clerk.
2025-11-17
Record requested from the Court of Appeals of New York.
2025-09-19
Application (25A287) for stay presented to Justice Sotomayor and by her referred to the Court is granted. The Court has already granted certiorari on the sovereign immunity issue decided below, and the pending damages trial before the Supreme Court of the State of New York would be barred if New Jersey Transit Corporation were entitled to sovereign immunity from suit. Respondents, on the other hand, identify no tangible irreparable harm they would face if the trial were delated until after this Court decides the pending case. The trial scheduled for September 15, 2025, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, is therefore stayed pending the issuance of the mandate of this Court in <i>NJ Transit Corp., et al.</i> v. <i>Colt, Jeffrey, et al.</i>, case No. 24-1113, and <i>Galette, Cedric</i> v. <i>NJ Transit Corp.</i>, case No. 24-1021.
2025-09-19
Application (25A287) referred to the Court.
2025-09-12
Reply of applicant New Jersey Transit Corporation, NJ Transit Bus Operations, Inc., and Ana Hernandez filed.
2025-09-12
Response to application from respondent Jeffrey Colt and Betsy Tsai filed.
2025-09-12
Order entered by Justice Sotomayor: Upon consideration of the application of counsel for the applicants, it is ordered that the trial in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, Index No. 158309/2017, is hereby stayed pending further order of Justice Sotomayor or of the Court.
2025-09-11
Application (25A287) for a stay, submitted to Justice Sotomayor.
2025-07-03
Petition GRANTED and consolidated with No. 24-1021, limited to the following question: Whether the New Jersey Transit Corporation is an arm of the State of New Jersey for interstate sovereign immunity purposes. A total of one hour is allotted for oral argument.
2025-06-10
Reply of petitioners New Jersey Transit Corporation, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2025-06-10
Reply of New Jersey Transit Corporation, NJ Transit Bus Operations, Inc., and Ana Hernandez submitted.
2025-06-10
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/26/2025.
2025-05-27
Brief of respondents Jeffrey Colt, et al. in opposition filed.
2025-05-27
Brief of Jeffrey Colt, et al. in opposition submitted.
2025-04-24
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 28, 2025)
2025-03-21
Application (24A797) granted by Justice Sotomayor extending the time to file until April 24, 2025.
2025-03-12
Application (24A797) to extend further the time from March 25, 2025 to April 24, 2025, submitted to Justice Sotomayor.
2025-02-21
Application (24A797) granted by Justice Sotomayor extending the time to file until March 25, 2025.
2025-02-14
Application (24A797) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from February 23, 2025 to March 25, 2025, submitted to Justice Sotomayor.