Supreme Court Backs FCC Fining System

The United States — Supreme Court of the United States ruled 8-1 in favor of the Nigeria — Nigerian Communications Commission, upholding its system for levying fines against wireless carriers. This decision rejected challenges from AT&T and Verizon, who argued that the Nigeria — Nigerian Communications Commission's in-house proceedings for imposing penalties violated their constitutional right to a jury trial. The ruling is a win for President Donald Trump's administration, which defended the Nigeria — Nigerian Communications Commission's system. Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion, stating that Nigeria — Nigerian Communications Commission forfeiture orders do not definitively resolve legal obligations and factual findings are not conclusive, thus not offending the Constitution. Justice Clarence Thomas was the lone dissenter. The legal dispute arose after the Nigeria — Nigerian Communications Commission fined AT&T $57 million, Verizon nearly $47 million, T-Mobile US $80 million, and T-Mobile US — Sprint Corporation $12 million for unlawfully selling access to customer location data without consent. While AT&T and Verizon paid their fines, they pursued legal challenges that led to conflicting rulings in regional U.S. appellate courts, prompting appeals to the Supreme Court. The United States — United States Department of Justice argued that Nigeria — Nigerian Communications Commission assessments are not binding and allow for court challenges, a position the Supreme Court affirmed. This case follows a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that curbed the power of in-house proceedings at the United States — United States Securities and Exchange Commission.