Comcast Corp. v. National Assn. of African-American Owned Media

This case asked what an African-American-owned media company had to prove to sue Comcast for race discrimination under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 after Comcast refused to carry its channels. The Supreme Court said the plaintiff must show race was the but-for cause of the injury, not just one factor in the decision.

The Court said a Section 1981 plaintiff bears the burden of showing that race was a but-for cause of the injury. The prompt does not provide the vote count or opinion lineup.

The decision sets a tougher proof rule for Section 1981 race-discrimination suits involving contracts and business deals. For example, a company claiming it lost a carriage or licensing deal because of race must show the deal would have happened but for race.

The Supreme Court has finished this docket action. Lower courts and litigants must apply the but-for causation rule in this case and similar Section 1981 disputes.

The case asked what a plaintiff must prove to sue for race discrimination under Section 1981. The Court said race must be the but-for cause of the injury.

Businesses and individuals bringing Section 1981 claims now face a stricter causation test. They must show race made the decisive difference, not merely played some role.

The Supreme Court's work on this docket is over. Lower courts must use the but-for causation standard in any further proceedings.