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Office of Personnel Management v. Richmond

No. 88-1951 SCOTUS · Decided Decided SCOTUS


The Conclusion

**The Supreme Court held that equitable estoppel cannot be applied against the government to compel payment from the Treasury contrary to a statutory appropriation.** The Appropriations Clause bars judge-made equitable remedies that override Congress's spending decisions.

CourtSupreme Court of the United States
FiledMar 21, 1990
CL StatusActive
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Cert Granted -
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Filed (CL) -
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SCOTUS TMR-dc94f0da Jun 14, 2026

Case Analysis

Overview

Held that equitable estoppel cannot be applied against the government to compel payment of money from the Treasury contrary to a statutory appropriation. The Appropriations Clause bars judge-made equitable remedies that override Congress's spending decisions.

Conclusion

**The Supreme Court held that equitable estoppel cannot be applied against the government to compel payment from the Treasury contrary to a statutory appropriation.** The Appropriations Clause bars judge-made equitable remedies that override Congress's spending decisions.

Notes

Foundation for government immunity from equitable estoppel claims. Relevant to Keathley analysis.

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