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General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc. v. Cline

United States Supreme Court
540 U.S. 581 (2004)

Facts

In 1997, General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc. (General Dynamics) (defendant) entered into a collective-bargaining agreement with its employees’ union, eliminating retirement health-care benefits for General Dynamics’ workers, except for those who were at least 50 years old. A number of General Dynamics’ workers (plaintiffs), who were at least 40 years old but under 50 years old at the time of the agreement, sued General Dynamics for violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which protected workers between the ages of 40 years to 65 years from discrimination due to age. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.

Rule of Law

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Issue

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Holding and Reasoning (Souter, J.)

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Dissent (Thomas, J.)

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Dissent (Scalia, J.)

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