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Kurns v. Railroad Friction Products Corp.

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
10-879 3d Cir. Nov 9, 2011 Feb 29, 2012 6-3 Thomas OT 2011

Holding: Petitioners’ state-law design-defect and failure-to-warn claims fall within the field of locomotive equipment regulation pre-empted by the Locomotive Inspection Act, as that field was defined in Napier v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co.

Judgment: Affirmed, 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Thomas on February 29, 2012. Justice Kagan filed a concurring opinion. Justice Sotomayor filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part, which Justices Ginsburg and Breyer joined.

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Briefs and Documents

Merits Briefs for Petitioners

Amicus Briefs in Support of the Petitioners

Merits Briefs for the Respondents

Amicus Briefs in Support of the Respondents

Certiorari-stage Documents

The supplemental briefs in this case make reference to the Solicitor General’s brief in Crane v. Atwell, which is available here.