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No. 20-222October Term 2020Decided Jun 21, 2021Updated May 24, 2026

Docket 20-222October Term 2020 (2020–2021)

Goldman Sachs Group v. Arkansas Teacher Retirement System

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. v. Arkansas Teacher Retirement System

Investors claimed Goldman Sachs kept its stock price artificially high by making broad, misleading statements about how well it managed conflicts of interest.

Case status

Decided 9-0 · June 21, 2021 · Opinion by Justice Barrett

Read the opinion (PDF)
Current stage
Decided
Latest event
Decision released Jun 21, 2021
Case Accepted
Arguments
Decision ReleasedJun 21, 2021
What it's about

Investors claimed Goldman Sachs kept its stock price artificially high by making broad, misleading statements about how well it managed conflicts of interest. The Supreme Court considered what a defendant can show at the class-certification stage to prove those statements did not affect the stock price, and who bears the burden of proving that point.

Question presented

1. Whether a defendant in a securities class action may rebut the presumption of classwide reliance recognized in Basic Inc. v. Levinson, 485 U.S. 224 (1988), by pointing to the generic nature of the alleged misstatements in showing that the statements had no impact on the price of the security, even though that evidence is also relevant to the substantive element of materiality. 2. Whether a defendant seeking to rebut the Basic presumption has only a burden of production or also the ultimate burden of persuasion.

Case path

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / Decision released Jun 21, 2021

Area

Business and Regulation

Timing

Decided June 21, 2021

The Court released its decision on June 21, 2021 without hearing oral argument.

Activity

Docket activity3
  • Brief added: Questions Presented

    May 24, 2026 | Court records

  • Opinion added: opinion

    Jun 21, 2021 | Court records

  • Brief added: Petition

    Aug 21, 2020 | Court records