Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc. — Stevens, J., concurring

Summary

Justice Stevens concurred in part and in the judgment, agreeing that the statutory text preempts state-law requirements that differ from federal medical-device requirements, including the common-law duties underlying the plaintiffs’ claims. He rejected the view that a jury verdict itself is a preemptive requirement, because juries apply legal rules rather than create them. Justice Ginsburg, dissenting, would have held that the statute does not preempt the state-law suit.