Supreme Court Resolves Legal Dispute Over Interchange Fees and Property Rights
- A dispute over boating rights in a Michigan lake unexpectedly benefited a truck stop in North Dakota.
- This case highlights how local decisions can have wider economic impacts.
- The fight for recreational access became a catalyst for saving a vital community service.
In a significant legal development, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that addresses the standards for assessing interchange transaction fees set by the Federal Reserve Board. This case stems from a 2010 Congressional delegation of authority to the Federal Reserve, which published regulations in 2011. Retailers and trade associations challenged these rules, claiming they allowed costs not permitted by federal law. The court's decision to grant certiorari was influenced by a split among federal circuit courts regarding when a claim accrues under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The court, led by Justice Barrett, sided with the 6th Circuit's interpretation, stating that a claim accrues when a plaintiff is injured by final agency action. This ruling reversed a lower court's decision and remanded the case for further proceedings, clarifying the timeline for when lawsuits can be filed in similar contexts. In a related case, the Supreme Court's ruling also touches on property rights involving the U.S. Forest Service and a couple from Michigan, Ben and Kathy Stupak-Thrall. Their legal battle arose when the Forest Service restricted their access to Crooked Lake, despite Michigan law guaranteeing their littoral rights. The 6th Circuit's reversal of a lower court's ruling allowed the couple to assert their rights in court, highlighting the ongoing tension between federal authority and individual property rights. This case underscores the Supreme Court's role in resolving complex legal disputes that affect ordinary citizens, as noted by Justice Gorsuch in a recent concurrence.