Supreme Court Backs FCC Fines Against Wireless Carriers

The U.S. Supreme Court on June 4 left intact the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) power to levy large fines through its in-house adjudication system. The dispute was the latest legal case to test whether the in-house enforcement system used by a federal agency violates the Seventh Amendment. The case came after the Supreme Court limited the Securities and Exchange Commission’s use of in-house administrative tribunals two years ago in SEC v. Jarkesy, finding that defendants facing civil penalties are entitled to a jury trial under the Seventh Amendment. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the court’s 8–1 opinion in FCC v. AT&T and Verizon Communications v. FCC, which were heard together on April 21....