mclane equal employment opportunity commission argued february decided april damiana ochoa worked eight years physically demanding job petitioner mclane services company mclane requires employees positions new employees returning medical leave take physical evaluation ochoa returned three months maternity leave failed evaluation three times fired filed sex discrimination charge title vii civil rights act equal employment opportunity eeoc began investigation mclane declined request pedigree information names social security numbers addresses telephone numbers employees asked take evaluation eeoc expanded investigation scope geographically cover mclane national operations substantively investigate possible age discrimination issued subpoenas authorized requesting pedigree information relating new investigation mclane refused provide information eeoc filed two actions federal district one arising ochoa charge one arising eeoc charge seeking enforcement subpoenas district judge declined enforce subpoenas finding pedigree information relevant charges ninth circuit reversed reviewing district decision quash subpoena de novo concluded lower erred finding pedigree information irrelevant held district decision whether enforce quash eeoc subpoena reviewed abuse discretion de novo pp factors examines considering whether decision subject searching deferential appellate review point toward review first longstanding practice courts appeals review district decision enforce quash administrative subpoena abuse discretion title vii confers eeoc authority issue subpoenas national labor relations act nlra confers national labor relations board nlrb three decades nlra enactment incorporation provisions title vii every circuit consider question held district decision enforcement nlrb subpoena subject review congress amended title vii authorize eeoc subpoenas uniform backdrop deferential appellate review today nearly every appeals reviews district decision whether enforce eeoc subpoena abuse discretion long history appellate practice pierce underwood carries significant persuasive weight second basic principles institutional capacity counsel favor deferential review cases district enforcement decision turn either whether evidence sought relevant specific charge whether subpoena unduly burdensome light circumstances tasks well suited district judge expertise first requires district evaluate relationship particular materials sought particular matter investigation analysis variable relation nature purposes scope inquiry oklahoma press publishing walling whether subpoena overly burdensome turns nature materials sought difficulty employer face producing close better suited resolution district appeals cooter gell hartmarx functional considerations also show appropriateness review one district courts considerable experience making similar decisions contexts see buford gives institutional advantag comes greater experience deferential review also streamline litigation process freeing appellate courts duty reweighing evidence reconsidering facts already weighed considered district cooter gell something particularly important proceeding designed facilitate eeoc investigation pp amicus arguments support de novo review persuasive amicus claims district primary task test subpoena legal sufficiency thus requires exercise discretion characterization inconsistent review may employed insulate trial judge decision appellate review kind functional concerns underpin conclusion abuse discretion appropriate standard also unlikely affording deferential review district subpoena decision clash appeals decisions instructed district courts defer eeoc determination relevance evidence charge issue decisions better read resting established rule term relevant understood generously permit eeoc access virtually material might cast light allegations employer eeoc shell oil constitutional underpinnings shell oil standard require different result described subpoena search oklahoma press implied fourth amendment source requirement subpoena indefinite morton salt every decision touching fourth amendment subject searching review see nixon cf illinois gates ornelas distinguished pp case remanded appeals review district decision appropriate standard first instance appeals may consider extent deems appropriate mclane arguments regarding burdens imposed subpoena pp vacated remanded sotomayor delivered opinion roberts kennedy thomas breyer alito kagan joined ginsburg filed opinion concurring part dissenting part opinion notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press mclane company petitioner equal employment opportunity commission writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit april justice sotomayor delivered opinion title vii civil rights act permits equal employment opportunity commission eeoc issue subpoena obtain evidence employer relevant pending investigation statute authorizes district issue order enforcing subpoena question presented whether appeals review district decision enforce quash eeoc subpoena de novo abuse discretion decision reviewed abuse discretion title vii civil rights act prohibits employment discrimination basis race color religion sex national origin stat statute entrusts enforcement prohibition eeoc see eeoc shell oil eeoc responsibilities triggered filing specific sworn charge discrimination university eeoc filed either person alleging discrimination eeoc see receives charge eeoc must first notify employer must investigate determine whether reasonable cause believe charge true university internal quotation marks omitted case one tools eeoc disposal conducting investigation subpoena order enable eeoc make informed decisions stage enforcement process title vii confers broad right access relevant evidence provides eeoc shall access purposes examination evidence person investigated proceeded relates unlawful employment practices covered title vii relevant charge investigation statute enables eeoc obtain evidence authoriz ing issue subpoena seek order enforcing subpoena university see authority eeoc may issue subp enas requiring attendance testimony witnesses production evidence employer may petition eeoc revoke subpoena see eeoc rejects petition employer still refuse obey subp ena eeoc may ask district issue order enforcing see district role eeoc subpoena enforcement proceeding twice explained straightforward one see university shell oil district use enforcement proceeding opportunity test strength underlying complaint ibid rather district charge valid material requested relevant charge university cognizant generou construction courts given term relevant shell oil virtually material might cast light allegations employer charge proper material requested relevant district enforce subpoena unless employer establishes subpoena indefinite issued illegitimate purpose unduly burdensome see morton salt gist protection requirement disclosure sought shall unreasonable internal quotation marks omitted case arises title vii suit filed woman named damiana ochoa ochoa worked eight years cigarette selector petitioner mclane services company according mclane job demanding one cigarette selectors work distribution centers required lift pack move large bins containing products mclane requires employees taking physically demanding jobs new employees employees returning medical leave take physical evaluation according mclane evaluation tests range motion resistance speed designed administered validated third party brief petitioner ochoa took three months maternity leave attempted return work mclane asked take evaluation ochoa attempted pass evaluation three times failed mclane fired ochoa filed charge discrimination alleging among things fired basis gender eeoc began investigation request mclane provided basic information evaluation well list anonymous employees mclane asked take evaluation mclane list included employee gender role company evaluation score well reason employee asked take evaluation company refused provide parties call pedigree information names social security numbers last known addresses telephone numbers employees asked take evaluation upon learning mclane used evaluation nationwide eeoc expanded scope investigation focus mclane nationwide operations substantively investigate whether mclane discriminated employees basis age issued subpoenas requesting pedigree information related new investigation mclane refused provide pedigree information eeoc filed two actions federal district one arising ochoa charge one arising separate charge eeoc filed seeking enforcement subpoenas enforcement actions assigned district judge hearing declined enforce subpoenas extent sought pedigree information see eeoc mclane wl apr age discrimination charge civ app pet cert title vii charge district view pedigree information relevant charges individual name even interview provide contacted simply shed light whether evaluation represents tool discrimination app pet cert quoting wl internal quotation marks omitted ninth circuit reversed see consistent circuit precedent panel reviewed district decision quash subpoena de novo concluded district erred finding pedigree information irrelevant panel questioned de novo review applied observing sister circuits appear ed review issues related enforcement administrative subpoenas abuse discretion see infra reviewing appeals authority granted certiorari resolve disagreement courts appeals appropriate standard review decision whether enforce eeoc subpoena agrees mclane decision reviewed abuse discretion stephen kinnard appointed amicus curiae defend judgment ably discharged duties ii considering whether district decision subject searching deferential appellate review least absent explicit statutory command traditionally look two factors pierce underwood first ask whether history appellate practice yields answer ibid second least neither clear statutory prescription historical tradition exists ask whether matter sound administration justice one judicial actor better positioned another decide issue question quoting miller fenton factors point toward review first longstanding practice courts appeals reviewing district decision enforce quash administrative subpoena review decision abuse discretion practice predates even title vii noted title vii confers eeoc authority issue subpoenas national labor relations act nlra confers national labor relations board nlrb see supra three decades enactment nlra incorporation nlra provisions title vii every circuit consider question held district decision whether enforce nlrb subpoena reviewed abuse discretion see nlrb consolidated vacuum nlrb friedman nlrb northern trust goodyear tire rubber nlrb time congress amended title vii authorize eeoc subpoenas uniform backdrop deferential appellate review today nearly uniformly courts appeals apply deferential review district decision whether enforce eeoc subpoena almost every appeals reviews decision abuse discretion see eeoc kronos eeoc randstad eeoc roadway express eeoc air lines eeoc technocrest systems eeoc dillon companies eeoc royal caribbean cruises per curiam judge watford writing panel recognized ninth circuit alone applies searching form review see review questions relevance undue burden de novo unclear see also epa alyeska pipeline serv holding de novo review applies sure inquiry appropriate standard review resolved exercise long history appellate practice pierce carries significant persuasive weight second basic principles institutional capacity counsel favor deferential review decision whether enforce eeoc subpoena one turns neat set legal rules illinois gates instead application broad standards multifarious fleeting special narrow facts utterly resist generalization pierce internal quotation marks omitted mine run cases district decision whether enforce subpoena turn either whether evidence sought relevant specific charge whether subpoena unduly burdensome light circumstances tasks well suited district judge expertise decision whether evidence sought relevant requires district evaluate relationship particular materials sought particular matter investigation analysis variable relation nature purposes scope inquiry oklahoma press publishing walling similarly decision whether subpoena overly burdensome turns nature materials sought difficulty employer face producing inquiries generally amenable broad per se rules management mendelsohn rather kind close calls better suited resolution district appeals cooter gell hartmarx internal quotation marks omitted functional considerations also show review appropriate one district courts considerable experience contexts making decisions similar though identical must make one see buford comparatively greater expertise district may counsel favor deferential review district courts decide instance whether evidence relevant trial fed rule evid whether pretrial criminal subpoenas unreasonable scope fed rule crim proc decisions decisions district must make enforcing administrative subpoena similar enough give district institutional advantag buford comes greater experience another noted cooter gell deferential review streamline litigation process freeing appellate courts duty reweighing evidence reconsidering facts already weighed considered district particularly important consideration satellite proceeding like one designed facilitate eeoc investigation amicus arguments contrary aided consideration case persuade us de novo review appropriate amicus central argument decision whether subpoena enforced require exercise discretion part district reviewed abuse discretion amicus view district primary role test legal sufficiency subpoena weigh whether enforced substantive matter cf shell oil rejecting argument district assess validity underlying claim proceeding enforce subpoena even accepting amicus view district task however understanding review narrow commentators observed review employed decisionmaker wide range choice decides free constraints characteristically attach whenever legal rules enter decision making process also employed trial judge decision given unusual amount insulation appellate revision functional reasons rosenberg judicial discretion trial viewed syracuse rev see also wright graham federal practice procedure ed explained large part due functional concerns conclude district decision reviewed abuse discretion even district decision characterized way amicus suggests characterization inconsistent review persuaded amicus remaining arguments amicus argues affording deferential review district decision clash appeals decisions instructing district courts defer eeoc determination evidence relevant charge issue see director office thrift supervision vinson elkins llp cadc district courts defer agency appraisals relevance unless obviously wrong eeoc lockheed martin aero naval systems amicus view analytically impossible appeals defer district district must defer agency tr oral arg think better reading cases rest established rule term relevant understood generously permit eeoc access virtually material might cast light allegations employer shell oil district deciding whether evidence relevant title vii need defer eeoc decision score must simply answer question cognizant agency broad authority seek obtain evidence statute set scheme double deference amicus arguments infirmities scheme misplaced agree amicus suggests constitutional underpinnings shell oil standard require different result sure described subpoena search oklahoma press implied fourth amendment source requirement subpoena indefinite morton salt every decision touches fourth amendment subject searching review subpoenas wide variety contexts also implicate privacy interests protected fourth amendment courts routinely review enforcement subpoenas abuse discretion see nixon pretrial subpoenas duces tecum grand jury subpoena grand jury subpoenas grand jury proceedings emphasized courts pay great deference magistrate judge determination probable cause gates internal quotation marks omitted decision akin district preenforcement review subpoena warrantless searches seizures considered ornelas amicus places great weight constitutional pedigree shell oil change view correct standard review iii reasons district decision enforce eeoc subpoena reviewed abuse discretion de novo also argues judgment affirmed clear district abused discretion review first view cutter wilkinson appeals chance review district decision appropriate standard task appeals first instance part analysis appeals may also consider extent deems appropriate arguments made mclane regarding burdens imposed subpoena judgment appeals hereby vacated case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered opinion ginsburg mclane company petitioner equal employment opportunity commission writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit april justice ginsburg concurring part dissenting part agree abuse discretion generally proper review standard district decisions reviewing agency subpoenas nevertheless affirm ninth circuit judgment case appeals explained district refusal enforce equal employment opportunity commission eeoc subpoena pedigree information rested legal error lower resolution question law ordinarily reviewable de novo appeal highmark allcare health management system slip according district yet necessary eeoc seek information wl ninth circuit correctly conveyed however eeoc show necessity access beyond showing mere relevance obtain evidence quoting university eeoc district erred matter law demanding eeoc show relevance order gain enforcement subpoena disturb appeals judgment footnotes statute conferring eeoc authority given national labor relations board conduct investigations see purpose investigations conducted commission section title shall apply district also refused enforce subpoena extent sought second category evidence information employees fired taking test fired district provided explanation enforcing subpoena extent sought information appeals reversed ground mclane challenge aspect appeals decision see tr oral arg sure pure questions law embedded district decision enforce quash subpoena whether charge valid eeoc shell oil legally sufficient pure question law question whether district employed correct standard relevance see opposed applied standard facts given case question law applying unitary standard shelter district makes error law district necessarily abuse discretion based ruling erroneous view law cooter gell hartmarx