Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo.
The Supreme Court overruled the Chevron doctrine, which required courts to defer to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes. The decision emphasizes that the Administrative Procedure Act mandates courts to independently interpret statutes without deferring to agencies. This ruling shifts the responsibility of statutory interpretation back to the judiciary, asserting that ambiguities do not imply congressional delegation to agencies.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo.
The Court held that the Administrative Procedure Act requires courts to exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority, overruling Chevron.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Administrative Law is relevant to Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo
The case directly addresses the limits on agency authority and the role of courts in reviewing agency interpretations of statutes.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Chevron defes the command of the APA that 'the reviewing court'—not the agency whose action it reviews—is to 'decide all relevant questions of law' and 'interpret . . . statutory provisions.'
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Why Judicial Review is relevant to Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo
The Court's decision emphasizes the judiciary's role in interpreting laws and reviewing agency actions, overruling Chevron's deference to agency interpretations.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Chevron is overruled. Courts must exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority, as the APA requires.
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Why Nondelegation is relevant to Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo
The Court's decision implicates nondelegation principles by emphasizing that Congress must clearly delegate authority to agencies, and ambiguities do not imply such delegation.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Chevron's presumption is misguided because agencies have no special competence in resolving statutory ambiguities. Courts do.
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo that support the summary and concepts above.
The Administrative Procedure Act requires courts to exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority.
Chevron is overruled.
Courts must exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority, as the APA requires.
