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Supreme Court decision elevates DOJ’s role in future FCC enforcement actions

People pass by outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC.
Photo: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

In a recent decision, the US Supreme Court upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to issue forfeiture penalties but required the option for a jury trial to enforce their collection, which now elevates the US Department of Justice’s role in such enforcement actions.

The US Supreme Court’s recent decision in FCC v AT&T marks a significant but qualified victory for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC or Commission) enforcement authority. In an 8-1 ruling, the Court upheld the FCC’s longstanding forfeiture process against constitutional challenge, concluding that the agency may investigate violations, issue notices of apparent

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