Title 5Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§703 Form and venue of proceeding

Title 5 › Part PART I— - THE AGENCIES GENERALLY › Chapter CHAPTER 7— - JUDICIAL REVIEW › § 703

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Seek court review of an agency action using the special review process and the court the law names. If no special review exists or it is inadequate, you may bring other actions like injunctions or habeas corpus against the United States, the agency, or its officer, unless the law already gives an exclusive prior review.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §703

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The form of proceeding for judicial review is the special statutory review proceeding relevant to the subject matter in a court specified by statute or, in the absence or inadequacy thereof, any applicable form of legal action, including actions for declaratory judgments or writs of prohibitory or mandatory injunction or habeas corpus, in a court of competent jurisdiction. If no special statutory review proceeding is applicable, the action for judicial review may be brought against the United States, the agency by its official title, or the appropriate officer. Except to the extent that prior, adequate, and exclusive opportunity for judicial review is provided by law, agency action is subject to judicial review in civil or criminal proceedings for judicial enforcement.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large 5 U.S.C. 1009(b).June 11, 1946, ch. 324, § 10(b), 60 Stat. 243. Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1976—Pub. L. 94–574 provided that if no special statutory review proceeding is applicable, the action for judicial review may be brought against the United States, the agency by its official title, or the appropriate officer as defendant.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 703

Title 5Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73