Supreme Court to Decide Fate of FCC’s In-House Penalty Powers

10 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Apr 21

The US Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether the FCC’s process for imposing fines violates companies’ constitutional right to a jury trial.
AT&T and Verizon challenge the FCC’s authority after being fined over $100 million for alleged breaches of consumer privacy rules.
A ruling could reshape how federal agencies enforce regulations, potentially shifting more cases to federal courts and weakening agency enforcement powers.

Could a Supreme Court decision against the FCC force federal agencies to overhaul how they enforce regulations and impose fines?

If agencies can no longer internally adjudicate fines, what new burdens might federal courts face, and how could this affect consumers?

Does the FCC's process truly violate the Seventh Amendment, or does it preserve due process by allowing later jury trials?

What lessons can be drawn from the SEC v. Jarkesy decision about the future of administrative enforcement across all federal agencies?

How does the Supreme Court’s recent skepticism toward agency power signal a broader transformation of the administrative state?