Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly

Holding that allegations of conduct that are merely consistent with wrongdoing do not state a claim unless "placed in a context that raises a suggestion of" such wrongdoing

Erickson v. Pardus

Holding that a complaint must "give the defendant fair notice of what the . . . claim is and the grounds upon which it rests"

Pilot Life Ins. Co. v. Dedeaux

Holding that civil enforcement scheme codified at § 502 is not to be supplemented by state law remedies

Varity Corp. v. Howe

Holding that ERISA fiduciaries may have duties to disclose information about plan prospects that they have no duty, or even power, to change

Great-West Life Annuity Ins. Co. v. Knudson

Holding an injunction ordering money funds to be legal relief because it sought to "impo[se] personal liability for the benefits that they conferred upon respondents"

Mertens v. Hewitt Assocs

Holding that relief under section 502 is limited to remedies traditionally available in equity, such as injunctions, mandamus, and restitution

Massachusetts Mut. Life Ins. Co. v. Russell

Holding that a participant's action filed pursuant to ERISA § 502 must seek remedies that provide a "benefit [to] the plan as a whole"

Sereboff v. Mid Atlantic Medical Services, Inc.

Holding portion of beneficiary's settlement constituted specifically identifiable funds subject to equitable lien

Curtiss-Wright Corp. v. Schoonejongen

Holding that a clause reserving the company's right "at any time to amend the plan" meets the requirements of 29 U.S.C. § 1102(b)

Harris Tr. & Sav. Bank v. Salomon Smith Barney Inc.

Holding that the authorization under 29 U.S.C. § 1132 "extends to a suit against a nonfiduciary 'party in interest' to a transaction barred by [29 U.S.C. § 1106]"

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 8 - General Rules of Pleading

Holding that "[e]very defense to a claim for relief in any pleading must be asserted in the responsive pleading. . . ."

Section 1132 - Civil enforcement

Holding liable "[a]ny administrator" who fails to provide documents in a timely manner

Section 1001 - Congressional findings and declaration of policy

Noting that ERISA was enacted “to protect ... employee benefit plans and their beneficiaries”

Section 1002 - Definitions

Holding that ERISA is a federal law that sets standards of protection for individuals in most voluntarily established, private-sector retirement plans

Section 1104 - Fiduciary duties

Specifying duties of a "fiduciary . . . with respect to a plan"

Section 1109 - Liability for breach of fiduciary duty

Breaching fiduciary "shall be subject to such other equitable or remedial relief as the court may deem appropriate"

Section 1105 - Liability for breach of co-fiduciary

Providing that a plan administrator may delegate fiduciary responsibilities if permitted by the ERISA plan

Section 1103 - Establishment of trust

Providing that “all assets of an employee benefit plan shall be held in trust by one or more trustees”

Section 1101 - Coverage

Applying subsections (b) and (b) "[f]or purposes of this part," that is, Part 4, which comprises §§ 1101-1114

Section 2509.75-8 - Questions and answers relating to fiduciary responsibility under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974

Recognizing limitations on directors' primary fiduciary liability " apart from co-fiduciary liability arising under circumstances described in section 405"

Section 2510.3-21 - [Effective 9/23/2024] Definition of "Fiduciary."

Describing various functions that do or do not create fiduciary status

Section 2510.3-101 - Definition of "plan assets"-plan investments

Providing that the underlying assets of an “operating company” in which a plan invests are not considered plan assets for determining whether a prohibited transaction occurred

Section 2509.75-3 - Interpretive bulletin relating to investments by employee benefit plans in securities of registered investment companies