Title 7AgricultureRelease 119-73

§6206 Petition and review

Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 91— - LIME PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND CONSUMER INFORMATION › § 6206

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

You can ask the Secretary to change or excuse an order if you say the order or part of it is not lawful and ask for a modification or exemption. You must get a hearing under the Secretary’s rules. After the hearing, the Secretary decides, and that decision stands if it follows the law. If you are unhappy, a U.S. district court where you live or do business can review the Secretary’s decision if you file a complaint within 20 days after the Secretary rules. Legal papers must be served under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. If the court finds the decision unlawful, it will send the case back to the Secretary with instructions to make a lawful ruling or take other action the court requires. A pending petition does not stop the Attorney General or the Secretary from seeking relief under section 6207.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §6206

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)A person subject to an order may file with the Secretary a petition—
(A)stating that such order, a provision of such order, or an obligation imposed in connection with such order is not in accordance with law; and
(B)requesting a modification of the order or an exemption from the order.
(2)A person submitting a petition under paragraph (1) shall be given an opportunity for a hearing on the petition, in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary.
(3)After the hearing, the Secretary shall make a ruling on the petition which shall be final if in accordance with law.
(b)(1)The district courts of the United States in any district in which such person who is a petitioner under subsection (a) resides or carries on business are hereby vested with jurisdiction to review the ruling on such person’s petition, if a complaint for that purpose is filed within 20 days after the date of the entry of a ruling by the Secretary under subsection (a).
(2)Service of process in such proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(3)If the court determines that the ruling is not in accordance with law, the court shall remand the matter to the Secretary with directions either—
(A)to make such ruling as the court shall determine to be in accordance with law; or
(B)to take such further action as, in the opinion of the court, the law requires.
(4)The pendency of proceedings instituted pursuant to subsection (a) shall not impede, hinder, or delay the Attorney General or the Secretary from obtaining relief pursuant to section 6207 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), are set out in the Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 6206

Title 7Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73