Meyer v. Holley

Summary

Justice Breyer delivered the unanimous opinion holding that the Fair Housing Act incorporates traditional agency principles rather than imposing automatic personal liability on corporate officers or owners for employees’ discriminatory acts. Ordinarily, the corporation is the employer or principal subject to vicarious liability; an officer’s or owner’s right to control an employee does not alone establish the necessary agency relationship. The Court vacated the Ninth Circuit’s judgment and remanded, leaving that court free to consider properly raised arguments concerning additional features of California’s broker relationship and piercing the corporate veil. There were no separate opinions.