Ashcroft v. Iqbal

Holding that a claim is plausible where a plaintiff's allegations enable the court to draw a "reasonable inference" the defendant is liable

Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly

Holding that a complaint's allegations should "contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 'state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face' "

Tellabs v. Makor Issues Rights

Holding that a strong inference is one that is "cogent and at least as compelling as any opposing inference"

Dura Pharmaceuticals v. Broudo

Holding that the securities statutes have a private of action “not to provide investors with broad insurance against market losses, but to protect them against those economic losses that misrepresentations actually cause”

Gonzaga University v. Doe

Holding that nothing "short of an unambiguously conferred right ... support a cause of action brought under § 1983"

Alexander v. Sandoval

Holding that it is "beyond dispute" that banning discrimination " ‘on the ground of race’ " "prohibits only intentional discrimination"

The Bremen v. Zapata Off-Shore Co.

Holding that courts should enforce a choice-of-law clause when it is part of a "freely negotiated private international agreement"

United States v. Bestfoods

Holding that ownership and control is insufficient to demonstrate an alter-ego relationship

Chambers v. Time Warner, Inc.

Holding extrinsic materials were not "integral" to the complaint because the complaint "d[id] not refer to the[m]" and "plaintiffs apparently did not rely on them in drafting it"

ATSI Communications, Inc. v. Shaar Fund, Ltd.

Holding that deception occurs when "investors are misled to believe that prices at which they purchase and sell securities are determined by the natural interplay of supply and demand, not rigged by manipulators"

Rule 12 - Defenses and Objections: When and How Presented; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings; Consolidating Motions; Waiving Defenses; Pretrial Hearing

Granting the court discretion to exclude matters outside the pleadings presented to the court in defense of a motion to dismiss

Rule 9 - Pleading Special Matters

Permitting "[m]alice, intent, knowledge, and other conditions of a person's mind [to] be alleged generally"

Rule 201 - Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts

Holding "[n]ormally, in deciding a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, courts must limit their inquiry to the facts stated in the complaint and the documents either attached to or incorporated in the complaint. However, courts may also consider matters of which they may take judicial notice."

Section 78u-4 - Private securities litigation

Granting courts authority to permit discovery if necessary "to preserve evidence or to prevent undue prejudice to" a party

Section 80b-6 - Prohibited transactions by investment advisers

Making it unlawful for investment advisers to, among other things, defraud their clients or prospective clients

Section 80b-15 - Validity of contracts

Voiding a contract only as to the rights of those who "in violation of [the IAA], shall have made or engaged in the performance of any such contract," or have acquired rights under the contract "with actual knowledge of the facts by reason of which the making or performance of such contract was in violation of [the IAA]"

Section 211.6 - Permissible activities of Edge and agreement corporations in the United States