SCOTUS Decision: Chevron Deference

Nearly 40 years ago, the United States Supreme Court indicated in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council (Chevron) that courts should defer to an agency's reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous statute. On June 28, 2024, the Supreme Court overruled Chevron. For a high-level overview of the decision and its impact, click to read "The End of Chevron Deference: A Primer on Loper Bright."

"A cornerstone of administrative law," Chevron dictated that reviewing courts must sometimes defer to agency interpretations of the statutes they administer. Not anymore. "Courts must exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion, a holding that will have far-reaching implications across the federal government, particularly where agencies frequently used highly trained experts to interpret and implement federal laws.

In the anticipation of this decision, Steptoe attorneys John Byron, Shannen Coffin, Shaun Boedicker, Crystal Robles and Brendan Hammond authored a comprehensive article analyzing the cases that were considered in the applicability of Chevron.

Additional resources on Chevron's scope and implications can be found here or under the "News & Publications" tab on this page.