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47 U.S.C. § 402Judicial review of Commission’s orders and decisions

submitted 92 years ago by ch. 652 to r/title-47-TELECOMMUNICATIONS · 1,023 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

This law explains how to appeal FCC orders in court. Most FCC orders can be challenged under general review rules in title 28. Specific cases, like denied licenses or revoked permits, go straight to the D.C. Circuit. Appeals must be filed within 30 days, and the Supreme Court can review the final result.

(a) Procedure Except for the cases listed in subsection (b), a lawsuit to stop, cancel, annul, or pause an FCC order must be brought the way chapter 158 of title 28 requires. (b) Right to appeal Instead, you may appeal directly to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in these specific situations: (1) you applied for a construction permit or station license and the FCC denied it; (2) you applied to renew or modify such a permit or license and the FCC denied it; (3) you were a party to an application to transfer, assign, or dispose of such a permit or license (or rights under it) and the FCC denied it; (4) you applied for a section 325 permit and the FCC denied it, or you held such a permit and the FCC revoked it; (5) you hold a construction permit or station license that the FCC modified or revoked; (6) you are "aggrieved," or your interests are adversely affected, by an FCC order granting or denying an application described in (1), (2), (3), (4), or (9); (7) the FCC served you with a cease-and-desist order under section 312; (8) you are a radio operator whose license the FCC suspended; (9) you applied for authority to provide interLATA phone service under section 271 and the FCC denied it; or (10) you are aggrieved by an FCC determination under section 618(a)(3). (c) Filing notice of appeal; contents; jurisdiction; temporary orders The notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of the public notice of the FCC's decision. It must include a concise statement of the proceeding, a concise, separately numbered statement of your reasons for appealing, and proof you served a copy on the FCC. Once filed, the court gets jurisdiction over the case and the issues it decided, and can order temporary relief — to keep things as they are, or to restore a position the FCC's order changed. Unless the court says otherwise, that relief stays in effect until the appeal is decided and the FCC complies with the final judgment. (d) Notice to interested parties; filing of record Within five days of filing the appeal, the appellant must notify everyone the FCC's records show has an interest in the case. The FCC must file with the court the official record behind the order being appealed, as section 2112 of title 28 requires. (e) Intervention Within 30 days of the appeal being filed, anyone else with an interest may join the case by filing a notice of intent to intervene, along with a verified statement about their interest, and proof they served copies on both the appellant and the FCC. Anyone who would be hurt, or whose interests would be hurt, if the FCC's order were reversed or modified counts as an "interested party." (f) Records and briefs The court's own rules govern what information the record and briefs must contain, and the deadlines and format for preparing them. (g) Time of hearing; procedure The court hears and decides the appeal based on the record, following the procedure set out in section 706 of title 5. (h) Remand If the court reverses the FCC's order, it sends the case back to the FCC, which must then carry out the court's judgment — using the existing proceedings and record, unless the court orders otherwise, and unless that judgment is itself under review. (i) Judgment for costs The court may, at its discretion, order the appellant or other intervening parties to pay costs, or award them costs, depending on the issues and the outcome of the appeal — but the court can never order the FCC itself to pay costs. (j) Finality of decision; review by Supreme Court The court of appeals' judgment is final, but remains subject to review by the Supreme Court: on a petition for a writ of certiorari under section 1254 of title 28, filed by the appellant, the FCC, or an intervening party, or by the court of appeals certifying the case for Supreme Court review under that same section.
the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain
(a) Procedure

Any proceeding to enjoin, set aside, annul, or suspend any order of the Commission under this chapter (except those appealable under subsection (b) of this section) shall be brought as provided by and in the manner prescribed in chapter 158 of title 28.

(b) Right to appeal

Appeals may be taken from decisions and orders of the Commission to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in any of the following cases:

(1)

By any applicant for a construction permit or station license, whose application is denied by the Commission.

(2)

By any applicant for the renewal or modification of any such instrument of authorization whose application is denied by the Commission.

(3)

By any party to an application for authority to transfer, assign, or dispose of any such instrument of authorization, or any rights thereunder, whose application is denied by the Commission.

(4)

By any applicant for the permit required by section 325 of this title whose application has been denied by the Commission, or by any permittee under said section whose permit has been revoked by the Commission.

(5)

By the holder of any construction permit or station license which has been modified or revoked by the Commission.

(6)

By any other person who is aggrieved or whose interests are adversely affected by any order of the Commission granting or denying any application described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), and (9) of this subsection.

(7)

By any person upon whom an order to cease and desist has been served under section 312 of this title.

(8)

By any radio operator whose license has been suspended by the Commission.

(9)

By any applicant for authority to provide interLATA services under section 271 of this title whose application is denied by the Commission.

(10)

By any person who is aggrieved or whose interests are adversely affected by a determination made by the Commission under section 618(a)(3) of this title.

(c) Filing notice of appeal; contents; jurisdiction; temporary orders

Such appeal shall be taken by filing a notice of appeal with the court within thirty days from the date upon which public notice is given of the decision or order complained of. Such notice of appeal shall contain a concise statement of the nature of the proceedings as to which the appeal is taken; a concise statement of the reasons on which the appellant intends to rely, separately stated and numbered; and proof of service of a true copy of said notice and statement upon the Commission. Upon filing of such notice, the court shall have jurisdiction of the proceedings and of the questions determined therein and shall have power, by order, directed to the Commission or any other party to the appeal, to grant such temporary relief as it may deem just and proper. Orders granting temporary relief may be either affirmative or negative in their scope and application so as to permit either the maintenance of the status quo in the matter in which the appeal is taken or the restoration of a position or status terminated or adversely affected by the order appealed from and shall, unless otherwise ordered by the court, be effective pending hearing and determination of said appeal and compliance by the Commission with the final judgment of the court rendered in said appeal.

(d) Notice to interested parties; filing of record

Upon the filing of any such notice of appeal the appellant shall, not later than five days after the filing of such notice, notify each person shown by the records of the Commission to be interested in said appeal of the filing and pendency of the same. 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.

(e) Intervention

Within thirty days after the filing of any such appeal any interested person may intervene and participate in the proceedings had upon said appeal by filing with the court a notice of intention to intervene and a verified statement showing the nature of the interest of such party, together with proof of service of true copies of said notice and statement, both upon appellant and upon the Commission. Any person who would be aggrieved or whose interest would be adversely affected by a reversal or modification of the order of the Commission complained of shall be considered an interested party.

(f) Records and briefs

The record and briefs upon which any such appeal shall be heard and determined by the court shall contain such information and material, and shall be prepared within such time and in such manner as the court may by rule prescribe.

(g) Time of hearing; procedure

The court shall hear and determine the appeal upon the record before it in the manner prescribed by section 706 of title 5.

(h) Remand

In the event that the court shall render a decision and enter an order reversing the order of the Commission, it shall remand the case to the Commission to carry out the judgment of the court and it shall be the duty of the Commission, in the absence of the proceedings to review such judgment, to forthwith give effect thereto, and unless otherwise ordered by the court, to do so upon the basis of the proceedings already had and the record upon which said appeal was heard and determined.

(i) Judgment for costs

The court may, in its discretion, enter judgment for costs in favor of or against an appellant, or other interested parties intervening in said appeal, but not against the Commission, depending upon the nature of the issues involved upon said appeal and the outcome thereof.

(j) Finality of decision; review by Supreme Court

The court’s judgment shall be final, subject, however, to review by the Supreme Court of the United States upon writ of certiorari on petition therefor under section 1254 of title 28, by the appellant, by the Commission, or by any interested party intervening in the appeal, or by certification by the court pursuant to the provisions of that section.

Source credit: (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title IV, § 402, 48 Stat. 1093; May 20, 1937, ch. 229, §§ 11–13, 50 Stat. 197; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 132, 63 Stat. 108; July 16, 1952, ch. 879, § 14, 66 Stat. 718; Pub. L. 85–791, § 12, Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 945; Pub. L. 97–259, title I, §§ 121, 127(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1097, 1099; Pub. L. 98–620, title IV, § 402(50), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3361; Pub. L. 104–104, title I, § 151(b), Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 107; Pub. L. 111–260, title I, § 104(d), Oct. 8, 2010, 124 Stat. 2762.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit
  • 1934Enacted · Act of June 19, 1934, ch. 652 · 48 Stat. 1093
  • 1937Amended · Act of May 20, 1937, ch. 229 · 50 Stat. 197
  • 1949Amended · Act of May 24, 1949, ch. 139 · 63 Stat. 108
  • 1952Amended · Act of July 16, 1952, ch. 879 · 66 Stat. 718
  • 1958Amended · Pub. L. 85-791 · 72 Stat. 945
  • 1982Amended · Pub. L. 97-259 · 96 Stat. 1097, 1099
  • 1984Amended · Pub. L. 98-620 · 98 Stat. 3361
  • 1996Amended · Pub. L. 104-104 · 110 Stat. 107
  • 2010Amended · Pub. L. 111-260 · 124 Stat. 2762

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 652 on 1934-06-19.

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