Fishing Fee Case May Lead Supreme Court to Limit US Agency Powers
- Justice Kavanaugh says ‘Chevron doctrine’ feeds instability
- Conservatives mull overturning precedent, but Barrett is wary
The US Supreme Court in Washington, DC.
Photographer: Kent Nishimura/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The US Supreme Court questioned a longstanding legal doctrine that gives federal agencies wide berth to interpret unclear laws as the justices heard two appeals that would constrain environmental, consumer-protection and financial regulators.
The court is considering overturning a watershed 1984 ruling that often requires judges to defer to agencies when they offer a reasonable interpretation of a statute. Democratic administrations have relied heavily on the ruling, using it to justify mandates on energy, the environment and the workplace.