October Term 2018 · Docket 17-1705
Can a district court reject an FCC rule as inconsistent with the statute?
The parties dispute whether district courts may invalidate FCC rules or must defer to agency interpretations.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Phillips argued the Fourth Circuit failed to harmonize the rule with the statute.
Ms. Kovner argued statutory interpretation requires compliance with Hobbs Act procedures.
Mr. Hara argued rejecting an FCC order determines its validity.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 12-15 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 12-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 34-11 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 34-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 26-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 26-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-28 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-8 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-10 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 8-21 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 8-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 16-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 34-10 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 34-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 28-21 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 28-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 79, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 79, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-36 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 10-22
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of district court authority over FCC regulations.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 34-11 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 34-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 26-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 26-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 28-21 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 28-21
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 25, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 16-17
What each side wants
PDR Network wants the district court to reject the FCC rule.
Carlton & Harris wants the FCC rule to remain valid.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 34-11 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 34-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 26-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 26-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 28-21 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 28-21
What each side says
PDR Network argues the rule conflicts with the underlying statute.
Carlton & Harris argues the Hobbs Act grants exclusive appellate jurisdiction.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 34-11 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 34-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 26-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 26-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 28-21 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 28-21
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if the court of appeals is the only body to determine validity.
Justice Alito asked about parties aware of proceedings but not formally involved.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 12-15 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 12-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-28 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-8 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-10 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 8-21 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 8-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 34-10 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 34-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 79, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 79, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-36 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 10-22
Why it matters
This dispute defines the boundary between judicial review and agency authority.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 34-11 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 34-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 26-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 26-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 28-21 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 28-21
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 12-15 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 12-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-28 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-8 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-10 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 8-21 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 8-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 16-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 34-10 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 34-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 79, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 79, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-36 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 10-22
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 34-11 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 34-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 26-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 26-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 28-21 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 28-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 38, lines 34-11 — Transcript, file page 38, lines 34-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 26-7 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 26-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 15-7 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 15-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 28-21 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 28-21
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.