Murray v. UBS Securities, LLC

Murray v. UBS Securities, LLC
Argued October 10, 2023
Decided February 8, 2024
Full case nameTrevor Murray v. UBS Securities LLC, and UBS AG
Docket no.22-660
Citations601 U.S. 23 (more)
ArgumentOral argument
DecisionOpinion
Case history
PriorMurray v. UBS Sec., 43 F.4th 254 (2d Cir. 2022). Murray v. UBS Sec., LLC, 14 Civ. 927 (KPF) (S.D.N.Y. 2020)
Questions presented
Under the burden-shifting framework that governs Sarbanes-Oxley cases, must a whistleblower prove his employer acted with a "retaliatory intent" as part of his case in chief, or is the lack of "retaliatory intent" part of the affirmative defense on which the employer bears the burden of proof?
Holding
A whistleblower seeking to invoke the protections of section 806 of the SOX Act must prove that their protected activity was a contributing factor in the employer’s unfavorable personnel action, but need not prove that the employer acted with “retaliatory intent.”
Court membership
Chief Justice
John Roberts
Associate Justices
Clarence Thomas · Samuel Alito
Sonia Sotomayor · Elena Kagan
Neil Gorsuch · Brett Kavanaugh
Amy Coney Barrett · Ketanji Brown Jackson
Case opinions
MajoritySotomayor, joined by unanimous
ConcurrenceAlito, joined by Barrett

Murray v. UBS Securities, LLC, 601 U.S. 23 (2024), is a United States Supreme Court case regarding the standard for bringing a whistleblower retaliation claim under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.