United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

SEC v. Medical Committee for Human Rights, 404 U.S. 403 (1972)

Securities and Exchange Commission v.

Medical Committee for Human Rights

No. 70-61

Argued November 10, 1971

Decided January 10, 1972

404 U.S. 403

Syllabus

The Court of Appeals, overruling the contentions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), held that it had jurisdiction to review the SEC's "extremely dubious" determination not to oppose the Dow Chemical Co.'s refusal of respondent shareholder's request to include its proposal for a corporate charter amendment in Dow's proxy statement. Thereafter, Dow acquiesced in the request, and, at its annual meeting, less than 3% of the voting stockholders supported the respondent's proposal, as a result of which the company, under an SEC rule, may exclude the proposal from its proxy material for a three-year period.

Held: Since it is extremely doubtful that, at the end of that period respondent, will resubmit the proposal and Dow will refuse it, the case is now moot. Pp. 404 U. S. 405-407.

139 U.S.App.D.C. 226, 432 F.2d 659, vacated and remanded.

MARSHALL, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which BURGER, C.J., and BRENNAN, STEWART, WHITE, and BLACKMUN, JJ., joined. DOUGLAS, J., filed a dissenting opinion, post, p. 404 U. S. 407. POWELL and REHNQUIST, JJ., took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.

Page 404 U. S. 404