Supreme Court Oral Arguments

Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Mar 27, 2023.Decided on May 18, 2023. Petitioner: Amgen, Inc., et al..Respondent: Sanofi, et al.. Advocates: Jeffrey A. Lamken (for the Petitioners) Paul D. Clement (for the Respondents) Colleen E. Roh Sinzdak (for the United States, as amicus curiae, supporting the Respondents) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Amgen owns two patents that describe cholesterol-lowering drugs that share a common written description. In 2014, Amgen filed suit against Sanofi alleging infringement of multiple patents, including the two at issue in this case. Among the jury’s conclusions in that case was that the patents were not invalid for lack of written description and enablement. To satisfy the written description requirement, a patent specification must describe the claimed invention in sufficient detail that a “skilled artisan” can reasonably conclude that the inventor had possession of the claimed invention. To satisfy the enablement requirement, a patent specification must contain sufficient information that a “skilled artisan” would be enabled to make and use the claimed invention. The U.S. Court for the Federal Circuit reversed and remanded, finding the jury instructions regarding enablement were erroneous. On remand, the court ruled in favor of Sanofi on the issue of lack of enablement and for Amgen on the issue of lack of written description. Amgen appealed, and the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court’s determination that the asserted claims were invalid for lack of enablement. Question Do Amgen’s two patents satisfy the Patent Act’s enablement clause—that is, describing the invention with sufficient particularity that would enable a “skilled artisan” to “make and use” the claimed invention? Conclusion Amgen’s two patent applications—purporting to cover all antibodies that bind and block the PCSK9 receptor involved in LDL cholesterol metabolism—fail to satisfy the Patent Act’s enablement clause. Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the unanimous opinion of the Court affirming the judgment below. It is well established that the enablement requirement means that if a patent claims an entire class of process, machines, manufactures, or compositions of matter, its specification must enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the entire class. While the specification may call for a reasonable amount of experimentation to make and use a claimed invention, it must not be too broad. Amgen’s specification fails to enable all that it has claimed, even allowing for a reasonable degree of experimentation. It described 26 antibodies by their amino acid sequences, but it claims to monopolize an entire class of antibodies not described. Thus, its claim is too broad.

United States v. Hansen Wikipedia · Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Mar 27, 2023.Decided on Jun 23, 2023. Petitioner: United States.Respondent: Helaman Hansen. Advocates: Brian H. Fletcher (for the Petitioner) Esha Bhandari (for the Respondent) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Helaman Hansen ran an immigration-advising service charging undocumented immigrants for (incorrect) advice on how to achieve U.S. citizenship. Hansen was convicted and sentenced for, among other federal crimes, two counts of encouraging or inducing illegal immigration for private financial gain, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) and (B)(i). Two years earlier, in United States v. Sineneng-Smith, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously reversed a Ninth Circuit decision striking down those two statutory provisions. Its reversal was based not on the merits of the constitutional challenge, but on the procedure the Ninth Circuit had used to entertain the challenge. Hansen’s case again raises the constitutional challenge. Question Does the federal prohibition on encouraging or inducing unlawful immigration for commercial advantage or private financial gain violate the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution? Conclusion The federal law criminalizing “encouraging or inducing” illegal immigration—forbids only the purposeful solicitation and facilitation of specific acts known to violate federal law and is not unconstitutionally overbroad. Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored the 7-2 majority opinion of the Court. A law is unconstitutionally overbroad if it prohibits a significant amount of protected speech compared to its legitimate applications. The federal laws at issue, 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) and (B)(i) prohibit “encouraging or inducing” illegal immigration, but in this context, they refer to the specialized legal terms of solicitation and facilitation, not their colloquial meanings. Because (A)(iv) targets only the intentional solicitation and facilitation of specific illegal acts, and these acts are generally non-expressive conduct, it is unlikely to stifle protected speech. Justice Clarence Thomas joined the majority’s opinion in full but wrote separate concurrence to criticize the facial overbreadth doctrine, which he argued “lacks any basis in the text or history of the First Amendment” and “distorts the judicial role.”  Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Sonia Sotomayor joined, arguing that the majority “departs from ordinary principles of statutory interpretation” to interpret the “encouraging or inducing” as meaning something much narrower than the words plainly mean.

Jack Daniel's Properties v. VIP Products LLC Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Mar 22, 2023.Decided on Jun 8, 2023. Petitioner: Jack Daniel's Properties, Inc..Respondent: VIP Products LLC. Advocates: Lisa S. Blatt (for the Petitioner) Matthew Guarnieri (for the United States, as amicus curiae, supporting the Petitioner) Bennett E. Cooper (for the Respondent) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) VIP Products LLC, a company that manufactures dog toys, created a plastic toy that resembles Jack Daniel’s iconic bottle. Instead of “Jack Daniel’s,” the toy’s “label” says “Bad Spaniels”; and instead of “Old No. 7” and “Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey” it says “The Old No. 2 on your Tennessee Carpet.” Jack Daniel’s sued the toy company alleging violation of its trademark. The district court held that the toy is a humorous parody entitled to First Amendment protection, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed. Question Is humorous use of another’s trademark as one’s own on a commercial product subject to the Lanham Act’s likelihood-of-confusion analysis, or instead entitled to heightened First Amendment protection? Conclusion The parodic use of another’s trademark as one’s own on a commercial product is subject to the Lanham Act’s likelihood-of-confusion analysis, not the threshold Rogers test, and is not automatically excluded from a claim of trademark dilution. Justice Elena Kagan authored the unanimous opinion of the Court. The Lanham Act creates federal causes of action for trademark infringement and trademark dilution. In a typical infringement case, the question is whether the defendant’s use of a mark is “likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive.” In a typical dilution case, the question is whether the defendant “harm[ed] the reputation” of a famous trademark. However, even before answering these questions, courts apply a threshold test developed by the Second Circuit in Rogers v. Grimaldi, 875 F.2d 994 (2d Cir. 1989) Under the Rogers test, when a trademark infringement claim targets an expressive work, the claim must be dismissed unless the complainant can show either (1) that the challenged use of a mark “has no artistic relevance to the underlying work” or (2) that it “explicitly misleads as to the source or the content of the work.” The Rogers test is limited, however. It does not insulate from ordinary trademark scrutiny the use of trademarks as trademarks. A primary purpose of trademark law is to protect against consumer confusion about source, and the risk of consumer confusion is highest when someone uses another’s trademark as a trademark, as VIP did with Jack Daniel’s iconic bottle. The parodic nature of VIP’s use may affect the ultimate determination of the likelihood of consumer confusion, but it does not automatically shield the use from claims of dilution. Thus, dismissal of the infringement and dilution claims under the Rogers test was erroneous. Justice Sonia Sotomayor authored a concurring opinion, in which Justice Samuel Alito joined, to warn courts to view surveys, such as the one provided as evidence of consumer confusion in this case, with caution and as merely one piece of a multifaceted analysis of the likelihood of confusion. Justice Neil Gorsuch authored a concurring opinion, in which Justices Clarence Thomas and Amy Coney Barrett joined. Although the Court’s decision left the Rogers test intact, Justice Gorsuch warned lower courts to view it “with care” and expressed doubt that Rogers is “correct in all its particulars.”

Abitron Austria GmbH v. Hetronic International, Inc. Wikipedia · Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Mar 21, 2023.Decided on Jun 29, 2023. Petitioner: Abitron Austria GmbH, et al..Respondent: Hetronic International, Inc.. Advocates: Lucas M. Walker (for the Petitioners) Masha G. Hansford (for the United States, as amicus curiae, supporting neither party) Matthew S. Hellman (for the Respondent) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Hetronic International, Inc., a U.S. company, manufactures radio remote controls heavy-duty construction equipment. By agreement, Abitron, a foreign corporation, distributed Hetronic’s products, mostly in Europe. The relationship deteriorated when Abitron decided that it, not Hetronic, owned the rights to Hetronic’s trademarks and other intellectual property. Abitron began manufacturing products identical to Hetronic’s and selling them under the Hetronic brand, mostly in Europe. Hetronic terminated their contractual relationship, but Abitron continued to manufacture and sell the products, making tens of millions of dollars. Hetronic sued Abitron, and a jury sitting in the Western District of Oklahoma awarded Hetronic over $100 million in damages based on infringement of Hetronic’s trademarks. The district court entered a worldwide injunction barring Abitron from selling the infringing products. On appeal the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed the court’s conclusion that the Lanham Act applies extraterritorially but limited the court’s injunction. Question Does the Lanham Act permit the owner of a U.S.-registered trademark to recover damages for the use of that trademark when the infringement occurred outside the United States and is not likely to cause confusion in the United States? Conclusion The Lanham Act extends trademark protection only to claims where the infringing “use in commerce” is domestic. Justice Samuel Alito authored the majority opinion of the Court. Unless Congress explicitly states otherwise, U.S. laws are generally presumed to apply only within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. This presumption helps avoid conflicts with other countries and is premised on the idea that Congress typically legislates with domestic matters in mind. To apply the presumption against extraterritoriality, courts apply a two-step framework. First, a court must ask whether Congress has explicitly indicated that the statute should apply to foreign conduct. If not, then the second step is to ask whether the lawsuit seeks a permissible domestic or impermissible foreign application of the law. Applying that two-step framework here, the Court concluded that the Lanham Act applies only to claims where the infringing use is domestic. First, neither § 1114(1)(a) nor § 1125(a)(1) explicitly indicates that the statute should apply to foreign conduct. They prohibit the use “in commerce” of protected marks that are likely to cause confusion. A mere reference to “foreign commerce” does not make a statute extraterritorial. Second, the focus of the statute is on the “use in commerce” that is likely to cause confusion, which is domestic conduct. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson filed a concurring opinion to elaborate on what it means to “use a trademark in commerce.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor filed an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett joined, arguing that while the majority reached the correct conclusion, in her view the Lanham Act extends to activities carried out abroad when there is a likelihood of consumer confusion in the United States.

Coinbase v. Bielski Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Mar 21, 2023.Decided on Jun 23, 2023. Petitioner: Coinbase, Inc..Respondent: Abraham Bielski. Advocates: Neal Kumar Katyal (for the Petitioner) Hassan A. Zavareei (for the Respondent) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Coinbase operates an online currency and crypto-currency exchange platform. Abraham Bielski created a Coinbase account in 2021, and shortly after opening it, he alleges that a scammer fraudulently accessed his account and stole more than $30,000 from him. Bielski alleged that Coinbase ignored his attempts at communication until he filed this lawsuit. Bielski alleged in his lawsuit—on behalf of himself and other similarly situated persons—that Coinbase, is a “financial institution” within the meaning of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA), and that it fails to comply with its responsibilities under the EFTA, including conducting a timely and good-faith investigation of fraudulent transfers. Coinbase moved to compel arbitration based on its user agreement, and the district court denied the motion to compel on the grounds that the arbitration clause and delegation clause were unconscionable. On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Coinbase’s motion to stay. Question Does a non-frivolous appeal of the denial of a motion to compel arbitration oust a district court’s jurisdiction to proceed with litigation pending appeal? Conclusion A district court must stay its proceedings while an interlocutory appeal taken pursuant to 9 U. S. C. §16(a) on the question of arbitrability is ongoing. Justice Brett Kavanaugh authored the 5-4 majority opinion of the Court. The Court recognized in Griggs v. Provident Consumer Discount Co., 459 U.S. 56 (1982) that an appeal, including an interlocutory appeal, “divests the district court of its control over those aspects of the case involved in the appeal.” The Griggs principle controls the outcome of this case. If district courts could proceed while an appeal on arbitrability is ongoing, the benefits of arbitration, such as efficiency and reduced costs, would be lost and parties could feel pressured to settle to avoid district court proceedings they initially sought to avoid through arbitration. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson authored a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined, and in which Justice Clarence Thomas joined in part. Justice Jackson pointed out that when a federal court of appeals conducts interlocutory review of a trial court order, the rest of the case remains at the trial court level for the trial judge to make particularized determinations at their discretion. Justice Jackson argued that this discretionary decision-making process promotes procedural fairness, and there is no reason to remove that discretion in this case.

Arizona v. Navajo Nation Wikipedia · Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Mar 20, 2023.Decided on Jun 22, 2023. Petitioner: State of Arizona, et al..Respondent: Navajo Nation, et al.. Advocates: Frederick Liu (On behalf of the Federal parties) Rita P. Maguire (On behalf of the State parties) Shay Dvoretzky (On behalf of the Navajo Nation) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) The Navajo Reservation is the “permanent home” of the Navajo Nation, under the 1868 Treaty, and subsequent expansions by executive orders and acts of Congress. The Reservation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, and lies almost entirely within the drainage basin of the Colorado River. Due to water scarcity, rights to the Colorado River’s waters are allocated through federal treaties, statutes, regulations, common law rulings, Supreme Court decrees, and interstate compacts—collectively known as the “Law of the River.” In 2003, the Navajo Nation sued the U.S. Department of the Interior and other federal agencies under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and a breach of trust claim for failure to consider their water rights in managing the Colorado River. Arizona, Nevada, and several other entities intervened to protect their interests in the Colorado River waters. The district court dismissed their claim, finding the Supreme Court retained original jurisdiction over allocation of rights to the Colorado River. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed. Question Does the 1868 Treaty between the Navajo Nation and the United States impose an affirmative duty on the United States to secure water for the tribe? Conclusion The 1868 treaty establishing the Navajo Reservation reserved necessary water to accomplish the purpose of the Navajo Reservation but did not require the United States to take affirmative steps to secure water for the Tribe. Justice Brett Kavanaugh authored the majority opinion of the Court. To succeed on a breach-of-trust claim, as the Tribe asserts here, it must establish, among other things, that the text of a treaty, statute, or regulation imposed certain duties on the United States. The 1868 treaty did not do so. While it did impose a number of specific duties, such as to construct a number of buildings on the reservation and to provide teachers for schools for at least 10 years, the treaty said nothing about any affirmative duty for the United States to secure water for the Tribe. The Court declined to infer such a duty to secure water, particularly when the treaty imposed no such duty with respect to land. Justice Clarence Thomas authored a concurring opinion highlighting the confusion over the definition of a “trust relationship” and calling upon the Court to clarify its meaning in future cases. Justice Neil Gorsuch authored a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson joined. Justice Gorsuch characterized the case as the Navajo Tribe simply asking the United States to identify the water rights it holds for them, and, if the United States has misappropriated the Navajo’s water rights, to formulate a plan to stop doing so prospectively. Under this characterization, the dissenters would allow the Tribe’s case to proceed.

New York v. New Jersey Wikipedia · Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Mar 1, 2023.Decided on Apr 18, 2023. Petitioner: New York.Respondent: New Jersey. Advocates: Judith N. Vale (for New York) Jeremy M. Feigenbaum (for New Jersey) Austin L. Raynor (for the United States, as amicus curiae, supporting New Jersey) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) New York and New Jersey entered into an interstate compact called the Waterfront Commission Compact to fight corruption in the Port of New York and New Jersey. New Jersey then sought to withdraw unilaterally from the compact. New York objected to New Jersey’s withdrawal. Question May New Jersey unilaterally withdraw from the Waterfront Commission Compact with New York? Conclusion New Jersey may unilaterally withdraw from the 1953 Waterfront Commission Compact. Justice Brett Kavanaugh authored the unanimous opinion of the Court. The Waterfront Commission Compact does not address unilateral withdrawal. Other principles of law in effect at the time the compact was entered would have informed their understanding of the Compact. One such principle is that a contract that contemplates “continuing performance for an indefinite time is to be interpreted as stipulating only for performance terminable at the will of either party.” Thus, with this understanding, either state may unilaterally withdraw. The principle of state sovereignty further supports this conclusion.

Department of Education v. Brown Wikipedia · Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Feb 28, 2023.Decided on Jun 30, 2023. Petitioner: United States Department of Education, et al..Respondent: Mayra Brown, et al.. Advocates: Elizabeth B. Prelogar (for the Petitioners) J. Michael Connolly (for the Respondents) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Fulfilling one of then-presidential candidate Joseph Biden’s campaign promises, the Secretary of Education invoked its authority under the HEROES Act to create a loan forgiveness program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and national emergency. Under the program, a student borrower qualified for loan forgiveness if (1) they made less than $125,000 individually or $250,000 if married and filing jointly, and (2) they had Direct, Perkins, or FFEL loans that were not commercially held. Qualified borrowers could receive $20,000 if they received a Pell Grant and $10,000 if they did not. Myra Brown and Alexander Taylor both have student loans. Brown is ineligible for debt forgiveness under the Program because her loans are commercially held, while Taylor is ineligible for the full $20,000 in debt forgiveness because he did not receive a Pell Grant. They challenged the loan forgiveness program, arguing that if the Biden administration had followed proper procedures in adopting the plan, they would have been able to weigh in on the plan and urge for a plan that would have been more beneficial to them. The district court found that the program was an unconstitutional exercise of legislative power vested in Congress and issued a nationwide injunction. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit declined to stay the injunction. Question Do these two student-loan borrowers have Article III standing to challenge the Department of Education’s Student Loan Debt Relief Plan? Is the Plan an unconstitutional exercise of legislative power by the Secretary of the Department of Education? Conclusion Respondents lack Article III standing to assert a procedural challenge to the student-loan debt-forgiveness plan adopted by the Secretary of Education pursuant to Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 (HEROES Act). Justice Samuel Alito authored the opinion for a unanimous Court. For a plaintiff to have standing, they must establish: (1) a concrete and particularized injury, (2) that is fairly traceable to the defendant's action, and (3) that is likely to be redressed by a favorable decision. Here, the “fairly traceable” element fails. The respondents' injury is not “fairly traceable” to the plan enacted under the HEROES Act, as they have not established a direct link between the HEROES Act plan and their desired outcome of a more favorable loan-forgiveness program under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). Any link is too tenuous and speculative to establish standing.

Biden v. Nebraska Wikipedia · Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Feb 28, 2023.Decided on Jun 30, 2023. Petitioner: Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States, et al..Respondent: Nebraska, et al.. Advocates: Elizabeth B. Prelogar (for the Petitioners) James A. Campbell (for the Respondents) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) In 2020, then-presidential candidate Joseph Biden promised to cancel up to $10,000 of federal student loan debt per borrower. After winning the election, the Biden administration announced its intent to forgive, via executive action, $10,000 in student loans for borrowers with an annual income of less than $125,000. Nebraska and five other states challenged the forgiveness program, arguing that it violated the separation of powers and the Administrative Procedure Act. The district court dismissed the challenge, finding that the states lacked judicial standing to sue. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit enjoined the forgiveness program pending the appeal.  Question 1. Do Nebraska and other states have judicial standing to challenge the student-debt relief program? 2. Does the student-debt relief program exceed the statutory authority of the U.S. Secretary of Education, or does it violate the Administrative Procedure Act? Conclusion The Secretary of Education does not have authority under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 (HEROES Act) to establish a student loan forgiveness program that will cancel roughly $430 billion in debt principal and affect nearly all borrowers. Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion of the Court. First, the Court concluded that Missouri has standing to challenge the student-debt relief program. Article III requires a plaintiff to have suffered an injury in fact—a concrete and imminent harm to a legally protected interest, like property or money—that is fairly traceable to the challenged conduct and likely to be redressed by the lawsuit. Here, the Secretary’s plan would cost MOHELA, a nonprofit government corporation created by Missouri to participate in the student loan market, an estimated $44 million a year in fees, and the harm to MOHELA in the performance of its public function is an injury to Missouri itself. Second, the Court determined that the HEROES Act’s authorization of the Secretary to “waive or modify” existing statutory or regulatory provisions applicable to financial assistance programs under the Education Act does not extend to canceling $430 billion of student loan principal. The Act permits the Secretary to “modify” statutory provisions but only “moderately or in minor fashion” as the term is ordinarily used. The “modifications” challenged here create a novel and fundamentally different loan forgiveness program that Congress could not have intended to permit. And the power to “waive” does not remotely resemble how such power has been used on prior occasions, where it was simply used to nullify particular legal requirements. Third, the Court rejected the Secretary’s argument that the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic justified the unprecedented nature of the the debt cancellation plan. Citing its recent decision in West Virginia v. EPA, the Court expressed hesitance that Congress could have intended to confer such authority on the Secretary and not retain it for itself. Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored a concurring opinion. Justice Elena Kagan authored a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson joined.

Dubin v. United States Wikipedia · Justia (with opinion) · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Feb 27, 2023.Decided on Jun 8, 2023. Petitioner: David Fox Dubin.Respondent: United States. Advocates: Jeffrey L. Fisher (for the Petitioner) Vivek Suri (for the Respondent) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) William Joseph Dubin was a licensed psychologist in Texas and ran a psychology practice called “Psychological A.R.T.S., P.C.” (PARTS). His son, David Dubin, worked for PARTS in a business capacity. PARTS was an enrolled Medicaid provider, which means it is required to comply with Medicaid laws and regulations. Among other alleged violations, David Dubin used patients’ Medicaid reimbursement numbers—to obtain reimbursements for services PARTS did not provide those patients. This conduct formed the basis of a charge of identity theft under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 1028A, which requires a two-year sentence for “[w]hoever ... knowingly transfers, possesses, or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person" during the commission of an enumerated felony.” William and David Dubin were convicted, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed. The court granted rehearing en banc to consider the sufficiency of the evidence and affirmed the panel. Question Does a person commit aggravated identity theft any time they mention or otherwise recite someone else’s name while committing a predicate offense? Conclusion A person commits “aggravated identity theft,” if he “uses” another person’s means of identification “in relation to” a predicate offense when the use is at the crux of—rather than merely peripheral to—what makes the conduct criminal. Justice Sonia Sotomayor authored the majority opinion of the Court. The meaning of each of the two key phrases—”uses” and “in relation to”—depends heavily on context. First, the very title of Section 1028A(a)(1), “Aggravated identity theft,” suggests that identity theft is at the core of that provision, particularly in contrast to a neighboring provision with a much broader title and scope. The language of 1028A(a)(1) further supports this reading. The provision applies when a defendant “knowingly transfers, possesses, or uses” another’s identification without lawful authority. From this context, it is clear that “uses” refers to conduct akin to theft, rather than its broader meaning of “virtually any function.” Finally, the list of predicate offenses suggests that the means of identification is at the crux of the underlying criminality, not just a peripheral feature. Justice Neil Gorsuch authored an opinion concurring in the judgment in which he argues that the statute is too vague and the majority’s opinion does little to clarify its meaning.