The Supreme Court made a huge impact on administrative law last year. There was plenty of anticipation around one major Supreme Court case: the future of Chevron deference. For nearly 40 years, this doctrine allowed federal agencies to interpret ambiguous laws in their favor, as long as their interpretation was reasonable. They did this on multiple occasions in Social Security cases. But as of June, the Court officially overturned this precedent in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. This was monumental and marked a huge shift in regulatory power.
Now, courts will no longer automatically defer to agencies’ interpretations. Instead, they’ll take a more active role in interpreting what Congress meant in each case, especially when the language of a law isn’t entirely clear. This change has massive implications, from environmental rules to business regulations, as each agency will need to show its interpretation aligns directly with the wording of the law in each case.
This ruling also signals a potential shift in how laws are written: Congress may feel more pressure to be crystal-clear in their language, knowing agencies won’t have as much leeway in interpretation. It’s a change that could shape how we approach everything from compliance to policy for years to come.
Got any questions? Schedule a consultation with us. I’m here to help. It’s a lot to take in, but we’ll get through it together. After all, navigating these waters is always easier when you’ve got someone to chat with.
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