Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo

Case Overview

For 40 years after Chevron v. NRDC, courts deferred to federal agencies on ambiguous statutory questions, on the theory that EPA scientists know more about clean air standards than judges do. The vehicle for ending that rule was commercial fishermen objecting to an NMFS rule requiring them to pay the cost of federal monitors on their boats. The Supreme Court overruled Chevron 6-3: courts, not agencies, are the final word on what ambiguous statutes mean. Bryan's Chevron doctrine entry covers the 40-year rule; this case ended it.