Plain-English summary
Court holds Hobbs Act doesn’t require district courts to accept FCC’s reading of the TCPA
In McLaughlin Chiropractic v. McKesson, the Supreme Court decided (June 20, 2025) that the Hobbs Act does not require federal district courts to accept an agency’s interpretation of a statute in civil litigation. District courts must interpret statutes themselves using ordinary tools of statutory interpretation, although they may give some weight to an agency interpretation in appropriate cases.
Why this matters
This decision preserves the authority of trial judges to interpret federal law in civil cases rather than being forced to follow an agency’s reading simply because the Hobbs Act exists. That affects whether lower courts must accept agency legal interpretations in private lawsuits and can change how TCPA and other agency-administered claims are decided at the district-court level.
Who may feel it
- Businesses and organizations sued under the TCPA or similar statutes administered by federal agencies
- Plaintiffs bringing private enforcement actions under agency-administered laws
- Federal district judges and courts of appeals
- Administrative agencies (like the FCC) and regulated industries
Key questions
- Does the Hobbs Act force district courts to accept an agency’s interpretation of a statute in civil enforcement or private suits? (Answered: No.)