Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Deference Precedent
Landmark Ruling Curtails Federal Agency Power
June 28, 2024
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has overturned the Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council precedent, which required courts to give deference to federal agencies in interpreting ambiguous statutes. The decision marks a major shift in the balance of power between the judiciary and administrative agencies.
The Court's ruling came in one of three cases during the 2023-24 term that sought to limit the authority of federal agencies. In all three cases, the Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, finding that the agencies had exceeded their authority in interpreting and applying the relevant statutes.
The Chevron doctrine has been in place for nearly 40 years. In that time, it has been cited in over 70 Supreme Court decisions and an estimated 17,000 lower court decisions. The doctrine has been particularly controversial in the context of environmental regulation, where it has allowed agencies to impose broad regulations based on uncertain or ambiguous statutory language.
Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh both wrote concurring opinions. Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh argued that Chevron deference was never required by the Constitution and that it had led to an imbalance of power between the judiciary and administrative agencies.
The Court's decision is likely to have a significant impact on administrative law and agency regulation. It remains to be seen, however, how the lower courts will interpret and apply the new standard.
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