15 U.S.C. § 3416: Judicial review

Summary

Lets people affected by most agency orders under this chapter ask the Commission for a rehearing and then take the final decision to a Court of Appeals. You must ask for a rehearing within 30 days and say the specific reason. The Commission can grant, deny, or change the order. If it does not act within 30 days, the request is treated as denied. You cannot go to court until you have asked for rehearing and the Commission has finally acted. The Commission may also change an order before the case record is sent to a Court of Appeals. If still unhappy, a party can file a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the circuit where the party is located or in the D.C. Circuit within 60 days after the Commission’s final action on the rehearing. The court gets the agency record and then can affirm, change, or cancel the order. Objections not raised in the rehearing are normally not considered unless there was a good reason. The court may allow new evidence if it is material and there was a reasonable excuse for not presenting it earlier. Other rules or orders not covered above may be reviewed in the U.S. Court of Appeals under chapter 7 of Title 5, except that the second sentence of section 705 of Title 5 does not apply. Emergency orders under sections 3361, 3362, or 3363 are reviewed only by the Federal Circuit. Appeals from district court judgments under section 3364(a)(2) must go to the Federal Circuit within 30 days. Before a final judgment, no court may issue an injunction to stop or delay an order under sections 3361–3363.

Title 15, §3416

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(a)Orders

(1)In general

The provisions of this subsection shall apply to judicial review of any order, within the meaning of section 551(6) of title 5 (other than an order assessing a civil penalty under section 3414(b)(4) of this title or any order under section 3362 of this title or any order under section 3363 of this title), issued under this chapter and to any final agency action under this chapter required to be made on the record after an opportunity for an agency hearing.

(2)Rehearing

Any person aggrieved by any order issued by the Commission in a proceeding under this chapter to which such person is a party may apply for a rehearing within 30 days after the issuance of such order. Any application for rehearing shall set forth the specific ground upon which such application is based. Upon the filing of such application, the Commission may grant or deny the requested rehearing or modify the original order without further hearing. Unless the Commission acts upon such application for rehearing within 30 days after it is filed, such application shall be deemed to have been denied. No person may bring an action under this section to obtain judicial review of any order of the Commission unless—

(A)such person shall have made application to the Commission for rehearing under this subsection; and

(B)the Commission shall have finally acted with respect to such application.

For purposes of this section, if the Commission fails to act within 30 days after the filing of such application, such failure to act shall be deemed final agency action with respect to such application.

(3)Authority to modify orders

At any time before the filing of the record of a proceeding in a United States Court of Appeals, pursuant to paragraph (4), the Commission may, after providing notice it determines reasonable and proper, modify or set aside, in whole or in part, any order issued under the provisions of this chapter.

(4)Judicial review

Any person who is a party to a proceeding under this chapter aggrieved by any final order issued by the Commission in such proceeding may obtain review of such order in the United States Court of Appeals for any circuit in which the party to which such order relates is located or has its principal place of business, or in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit. Review shall be obtained by filing a written petition, requesting that such order be modified or set aside in whole or in part, in such Court of Appeals within 60 days after the final action of the Commission on the application for rehearing required under paragraph (2). A copy of such petition shall forthwith be transmitted by the clerk of such court to any member of the Commission and thereupon the Commission shall file with the court the record upon which the order complained of was entered, as provided in section 2112 of title 28. Upon the filing of such petition such court shall have jurisdiction, which upon the filing of the record with it shall be exclusive, to affirm, modify, or set aside such order in whole or in part. No objection to such order of the Commission shall be considered by the court if such objection was not urged before the Commission in the application for rehearing unless there was reasonable ground for the failure to do so. The finding of the Commission as to the facts, if supported by substantial evidence, shall be conclusive. If any party shall apply to the court for leave to adduce additional evidence, and shall show to the satisfaction of the court that such additional evidence is material and that there were reasonable grounds for failure to adduce such evidence in the proceedings before the Commission, the court may order such additional evidence to be taken before the Commission and to be adduced upon the hearing in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as the court deems proper. The Commission may modify its findings as to the facts by reason of the additional evidence so taken, and shall file with the court such modified or new findings, which if supported by substantial evidence, shall be conclusive. The Commission shall also file with the court its recommendation, if any, for the modification or setting aside of the original order. The judgment and decree of the court, affirming, modifying, or setting aside, in whole or in part, any such order of the Commission, shall be final subject to review by the Supreme Court of the United States upon certiorari or certification as provided in section 1254 of title 28.

(5)Orders remain effective

The filing of an application for rehearing under paragraph (2) shall not, unless specifically ordered by the Commission, operate as a stay of the Commission’s order. The commencement of proceedings under paragraph (4) shall not, unless specifically ordered by the court, operate as a stay of the Commission’s order.

(b)Review of rules and orders

Except as provided in subsections (a) and (c), judicial review of any rule or order, within the meaning of section 551(4) of title 5, issued under this chapter may be obtained in the United States Court of Appeals for any appropriate circuit pursuant to the provisions of chapter 7 of title 5, except that the second sentence of section 705 thereof shall not apply.

(c)Judicial review of emergency orders

Except with respect to enforcement of orders or subpenas under section 3364(a) of this title, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to review all civil cases and controversies under section 3361, 3362 or 3363 of this title, including any order issued, or other action taken, under such section. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit shall have exclusive jurisdiction of all appeals from the district courts of the United States in cases and controversies arising under section 3364(a)(2) of this title; such appeals shall be taken by the filing of a notice of appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit within thirty days after the entry of judgment by the district court. Prior to a final judgment, no court shall have jurisdiction to grant any injunctive relief to stay or defer the implementation of any order issued, or action taken, under section 3361, 3362, or 3363 of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1992—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–572 substituted “the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit” for “the Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals, established pursuant to section 211(b) of the Economic Stabilization Act of 1970, as amended,” before “shall have exclusive original jurisdiction” and substituted “United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit” for “Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals” in two places. 1989—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–60 struck out subsec. (d) which related to judicial review of certain incremental pricing determinations.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–572 effective Jan. 1, 1993, see section 1101 of Pub. L. 102–572, set out as a note under section 905 of Title 2, The Congress.

§3416 Judicial Review