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Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-110

§32503 Judicial Review of Bumper Standards

Title 49 › SUBTITLE VI — MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS › PART C — INFORMATION, STANDARDS, AND REQUIREMENTS › CHAPTER 325 — BUMPER STANDARDS › § 32503

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

If someone could be hurt by a safety standard, they can ask a U.S. Court of Appeals to review it. They must file the petition within 59 days in either the D.C. Circuit or the appeals court for the circuit where they live or have their main business. The court clerk must send the petition right away to the Secretary of Transportation, who must give the court the record of how the standard was made. If the petitioner asks, the court can order the Secretary to accept extra evidence if it matters and there was a good reason it was not shown earlier. The Secretary may change or add findings because of that evidence and must file those new findings, any recommendation to change or cancel the standard, and the new evidence with the court. Only the U.S. Supreme Court can review the appeals court’s decision, and this remedy is in addition to any other legal remedies.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §32503

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Filing and Venue.—
A person that may be adversely affected by a standard prescribed under section 32502 of this title may apply for review of the standard by filing a petition for review in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit or in the court of appeals of the United States for the circuit in which the person resides or has its principal place of business. The petition must be filed not later than 59 days after the standard is prescribed.
(b)Notifying Secretary.—
The clerk of the court shall send immediately a copy of the petition to the Secretary of Transportation. The Secretary shall file with the court a record of the proceeding in which the standard was prescribed.
(c)Additional Proceedings.—
(1)On request of the petitioner, the court may order the Secretary to receive additional evidence and evidence in rebuttal if the court is satisfied the additional evidence is material and there were reasonable grounds for not presenting the evidence in the proceeding before the Secretary.
(2)The Secretary may modify findings of fact or make new findings because of the additional evidence presented. The Secretary shall file a modified or new finding, a recommendation to modify or set aside a standard, and the additional evidence with the court.
(d)Supreme Court Review and Additional Remedies.—
A judgment of a court under this section may be reviewed only by the Supreme Court under section 1254 of title 28. A remedy under this section is in addition to any other remedies provided by law.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 32503(a)15:1913(a) (1st sentence), (c).Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, § 103, 86 Stat. 950. 32503(b)15:1913(a) (2d, last sentences). 32503(c)15:1913(b). 32503(d)15:1913(d), (e). In subsection (a), the words “may apply for” are added for clarity. The text of 15:1913(c) is omitted because 5:ch. 7 applies unless otherwise stated. In subsection (b), the words “or his delegate” and “thereupon” are omitted as surplus. The words “in which the standard was prescribed” are substituted for “on which the Secretary based his rule, as provided in section 2112 of title 28” to eliminate unnecessary words. In subsection (c)(1), the words “On request of the petitioner” are substituted for “If the petitioner applies to the court for leave to adduce” to eliminate unnecessary words. The words “the Secretary to receive” are substituted for “to be taken before the Secretary, and to be adduced in a hearing” for clarity. The words “in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as the court may deem proper” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (c)(2), the words “with the court” are substituted for “with the return of” for clarity. In subsection (d), the words “affirming or setting aside, in whole or in part, any such rule of the Secretary” are omitted as surplus. The words “may be reviewed only” are substituted for “shall be final, subject to review” for clarity. The words “and not in lieu of” are omitted as surplus.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 32503

Title 49, Transportation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110