Civil contempt for injunction violations
Apple v. Epic Games
In brief
- Where it stands
- Argument Scheduled
Oral argument January 11, 2027
- What it’s about
- The Court will consider whether Apple could be held in civil contempt for conduct that allegedly violated the “spirit” of an injunction in its dispute with Epic Games, even though the injunction did not expressly prohibit that conduct.
- What's at stake
- The case could affect how clearly federal courts must write injunctions before penalizing a company for contempt.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
Question presented
Whether a court may hold a party in civil contempt based on a violation of an injunction's "spirit" where the injunction is silent as to the conduct upon which contempt is based, as the Ninth Circuit holds; or, instead, whether a court must ground a finding of civil contempt on the violation of an order that clearly and unambiguously proscribes the precise conduct at issue, as other circuits hold.
What happens next
Expected by late June 2027
Argument is on the calendar for January 11, 2027. Decisions typically follow within about 93 days of argument. Nearly all opinions are released before the term ends in late June or early July 2027.
Docket activity
Case data updated: title
Case data updated: title
Case data updated: documents, description, proceeding_type
Case data updated: documents, description, proceeding_type
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Case data updated: documents, description, document_url, proceeding_type
Case data updated: documents, description, document_url, proceeding_type
Case data updated: documents, description, document_url, proceeding_type
Case data updated: documents, description, document_url, proceeding_type
Case data updated: documents, description, document_url, proceeding_type
Case data updated: documents, description, document_url, proceeding_type
Case data updated: documents, description, document_url, proceeding_type
More questions
- What is at stake in Apple v. Epic Games?
- The Court will decide whether civil contempt can rest on an injunction's “spirit” rather than conduct clearly barred by its text.
- Who could be affected by Apple v. Epic Games?
- Companies subject to federal injunctions could be affected by the clarity required before contempt penalties.
- What happens next in Apple v. Epic Games?
- The Court may schedule oral argument or make another scheduling move. No decision timing has been set.
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.