Freedom Watch, Inc. v. Sessions
Opinion
81,7(' 67$7(6 ',675,&7 &2857 )25 7+( ',675,&7 2) &2/80%,$ BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
)5(('20 :$7&+ ,1&
3ODLQWLII
Y &LYLO $FWLRQ 1R $%-
-())(5621 % 6(66,216 LQ KLV RIILFLDO FDSDFLW\ DV $WWRUQH\ *HQHUDO RI WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV RI $PHULFD RQ EHKDOI RI WKH 81,7(' 67$7(6 '(3$570(17 2) -867,&( et al.
'HIHQGDQWV BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
0(025$1'80 23,1,21 7KLV FDVH EHIRUH WKH &RXUW LV DQ DFWLRQ IRU D ZULW RI PDQGDPXV 3ODLQWLII DVNV WKH &RXUW WR
RUGHU WKH $WWRUQH\ *HQHUDO RI WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV WKH 'LUHFWRU RI WKH 2IILFH RI 3URIHVVLRQDO
5HVSRQVLELOLW\ RI WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 'HSDUWPHQW RI -XVWLFH WKH ,QVSHFWRU *HQHUDO RI WKH 'HSDUWPHQW
RI -XVWLFH DQG WKH 'LUHFWRU RI WKH )HGHUDO %XUHDX RI ,QYHVWLJDWLRQ WR LPPHGLDWHO\ XQGHUWDNH DQ
LQYHVWLJDWLRQ RI OHDNV DOOHJHG WR EH HPDQDWLQJ IURP 6SHFLDO &RXQVHO 5REHUW 0XHOOHU DQG KLV VWDII
See &RPSO >'NW @ DW id. ± 7KH SUD\HU IRU UHOLHI FDOOV IRU
$ ZULW RI PDQGDPXV FRPSHOOLQJ 'HIHQGDQWV WR FRQGXFW DQ LPPHGLDWH WKRURXJK LQYHVWLJDWLRQ LQWR WRUUHQW RI OHDNV >sic@ FRPLQJ IURP 0U 0XHOOHU DQG KLV VWDII DV ZHOO DV XQHWKLFDO FRQIOLFWV RI LQWHUHVW SHUWDLQLQJ WR WKH 0XHOOHU ,QYHVWLJDWLRQ DQG DQ RUGHU FRPSHOOLQJ 0U 6HVVLRQV DQG WKH 86'2- WR RUGHU WKH UHPRYDO RI 0U 0XHOOHU DQG KLV VWDII IURP WKH LQYHVWLJDWLRQ ZKHQ WKH LQYHVWLJDWLRQ UHYHDOV WKDW WKH OHDNV GLG RULJLQDWH IURP 0U 0XHOOHU DQG KLV VWDII
&RPSO DW %HFDXVH WKH &RXUW KDV IRXQG IRU WKH UHDVRQV VHW IRUWK EHORZ WKDW SODLQWLII ODFNV
VWDQGLQJ WR EULQJ WKLV DFWLRQ LW ZLOO GLVPLVV WKH FRPSODLQW IRU ODFN RI VXEMHFWPDWWHU MXULVGLFWLRQ
SXUVXDQW WR )HGHUDO 5XOH RI &LYLO 3URFHGXUH K )HGHUDO FRXUWV DUH FRXUWV RI OLPLWHG MXULVGLFWLRQ DQG WKH ODZ SUHVXPHV WKDW ³D FDXVH OLHV
RXWVLGH WKLV OLPLWHG MXULVGLFWLRQ´ Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of Am. 86
see also Gen. Motors Corp. v. EPA )G '& &LU ³$V D FRXUW RI
OLPLWHG MXULVGLFWLRQ ZH EHJLQ DQG HQG ZLWK DQ H[DPLQDWLRQ RI RXU MXULVGLFWLRQ´ 6XEMHFW PDWWHU
MXULVGLFWLRQ PD\ QRW EH ZDLYHG DQG ³FRXUWV PD\ UDLVH WKH LVVXH sua sponte´ NetworkIP, LLC v.
FCC )G '& &LU TXRWLQJ Athens Cmty. Hosp., Inc. v. Schweiker
)G '& &LU ,QGHHG D IHGHUDO FRXUW PXVW UDLVH WKH LVVXH EHFDXVH LW LV
³IRUELGGHQ IURP DFWLQJ EH\RQG >LWV@ DXWKRULW\ DQG µQR DFWLRQ RI WKH SDUWLHV FDQ FRQIHU VXEMHFW
PDWWHU MXULVGLFWLRQ XSRQ D IHGHUDO FRXUW¶´ Id. TXRWLQJ Akinseye v. Dist. of Columbia )G
'& &LU see also Ins. Corp. of Ireland, Ltd. v. Compagnie des Bauxites de
Guinee 86 ³6LPLODUO\ D FRXUW LQFOXGLQJ DQ DSSHOODWH FRXUW ZLOO UDLVH ODFN
RI VXEMHFWPDWWHU MXULVGLFWLRQ RQ LWV RZQ PRWLRQ´ 7KHUHIRUH 5XOH SURYLGHV WKDW D GLVWULFW
FRXUW PXVW GLVPLVV D FRPSODLQW ZKHQ LW LV HYLGHQW WKDW LW ODFNV VXEMHFWPDWWHU MXULVGLFWLRQ see )HG
5 &LY 3 K DQG LW PD\ GR VR sua sponte See Evans v. Suter 1R :/
DW '& &LU $SU FLWLQJ Hurt v. U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Cir
1R :/ '& &LU -DQ
³7R VWDWH D FDVH RU FRQWURYHUV\ XQGHU $UWLFOH ,,, D SODLQWLII PXVW HVWDEOLVK VWDQGLQJ´ Ariz.
Christian Sch. Tuition Org. v. Winn 86 FLWLQJ Allen v. Wright 86
see also Lujan v. Defs. of Wildlife 86 6WDQGLQJ LV D
QHFHVVDU\ SUHGLFDWH WR DQ\ H[HUFLVH RI IHGHUDO MXULVGLFWLRQ DQG LI LW LV ODFNLQJ WKHQ WKH GLVSXWH LV
QRW D SURSHU FDVH RU FRQWURYHUV\ XQGHU $UWLFOH ,,, DQG IHGHUDO FRXUWV KDYH QR VXEMHFWPDWWHU
MXULVGLFWLRQ WR GHFLGH WKH FDVH Dominguez v. UAL Corp. )G '& &LU
7R HVWDEOLVK FRQVWLWXWLRQDO VWDQGLQJ D SODLQWLII PXVW GHPRQVWUDWH WKDW KH KDV VXIIHUHG
DQ LQMXU\LQIDFW WKH LQMXU\ LV ³IDLUO\ WUDFHDEOH WR WKH FKDOOHQJHG DFWLRQ RI WKH GHIHQGDQW´ DQG
LW LV ³OLNHO\ DV RSSRVHG WR PHUHO\ VSHFXODWLYH WKDW WKH LQMXU\ ZLOO EH UHGUHVVHG E\ D IDYRUDEOH
GHFLVLRQ´ Lujan 86 DW ± TXRWLQJ Simon v. E. Ky. Welfare Rights Org. 86
± LQWHUQDO TXRWDWLRQ PDUNV DQG HGLWV RPLWWHG see also Friends of the Earth, Inc. v.
Laidlaw Envtl. Servs. Inc. 86 ± 7KH SDUW\ LQYRNLQJ IHGHUDO MXULVGLFWLRQ
EHDUV WKH EXUGHQ RI HVWDEOLVKLQJ VWDQGLQJ Lujan 86 DW
3DUDJUDSK RI WKH FRPSODLQW VWDWHV WKH IROORZLQJ DERXW VWDQGLQJ
3ODLQWLII KDV VWDQGLQJ WR EULQJ WKLV DFWLRQ EHFDXVH LW KDV EHHQ GLUHFWO\ DIIHFWHG DQG YLFWLPL]HG E\ WKH XQODZIXO FRQGXFW FRPSODLQHG KHUHLQ >sic@ ,WV LQMXULHV DUH SUR[LPDWHO\ UHODWHG WR WKH FRQGXFW RI 'HIHQGDQWV HDFK DQG HYHU\ RQH RI WKHP DV LW LV D SXEOLF LQWHUHVW ZDWFKGRJ ZKLFK LQYHVWLJDWHV DQG SURVHFXWHV JRYHUQPHQW FRUUXSWLRQ RQ EHKDOI RI WKH $PHULFDQ SHRSOH DQG GLVVHPLQDWHV LQIRUPDWLRQ WR WKHP
&RPSO 7KHUH DUH QR RWKHU MXULVGLFWLRQDO DOOHJDWLRQV LQ WKH FRPSODLQW
2Q 1RYHPEHU WKH &RXUW RUGHUHG SODLQWLII LQ WKLV FDVH WR VKRZ FDXVH ZK\ LW KDV
DOOHJHG VXIILFLHQW IDFWV WR HVWDEOLVK WKDW LW KDV VXIIHUHG WKH LQMXU\LQIDFW WKDW LV QHFHVVDU\ WR FRQIHU
VWDQGLQJ WR SXUVXH WKLV DFWLRQ 2UGHU >'NW @ 7R DOOHJH WKH ILUVW HOHPHQW RI VWDQGLQJ LQMXU\LQ
IDFW D SODLQWLII PXVW GHPRQVWUDWH WKDW KH KDV ³VXIIHUHG µDQ LQYDVLRQ RI D OHJDOO\ SURWHFWHG LQWHUHVW¶
WKDW LV µFRQFUHWH DQG SDUWLFXODUL]HG¶ DQG µDFWXDO RU LPPLQHQW QRW FRQMHFWXUDO RU K\SRWKHWLFDO¶´
Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins 6 &W TXRWLQJ Lujan 86 DW 7R EH
³FRQFUHWH´ WKH LQMXU\ ³PXVW DFWXDOO\ H[LVW´ PHDQLQJ WKDW LW LV UHDO DQG QRW DEVWUDFW DOWKRXJK
FRQFUHWHQHVV LV ³QRW QHFHVVDULO\ V\QRQ\PRXV ZLWK µWDQJLEOH¶´ Id. DW ± $QG WR EH
³SDUWLFXODUL]HG´ WKH LQMXU\ PXVW DIIHFW D SODLQWLII ³LQ D SHUVRQDO DQG LQGLYLGXDO ZD\´ Id. DW
TXRWLQJ Lujan 86 DW Q
7KH SUREOHP LQ WKLV FDVH LV WKDW HYHQ LI WKH DOOHJDWLRQV LQ WKH FRPSODLQW FRQFHUQLQJ ELDV RU
ZURQJGRLQJ RQ WKH SDUW RI WKH 6SHFLDO &RXQVHO DUH DFFHSWHG DV WUXH RQ WKHLU IDFH DQG HYHQ LI
SODLQWLII LV FRUUHFW WKDW WKHVH DOOHJDWLRQV ³FOHDUO\ ZDUUDQW WKRURXJK HWKLFV LQYHVWLJDWLRQ DQG
GLVFLSOLQH´ 3O¶V 5HVS WR &W¶V 2UGHU >'NW @ ³3O¶V 5HVS´ DW SODLQWLII KDV QRW ± QHLWKHU LQ
LWV FRPSODLQW QRU LQ UHVSRQVH WR WKH RUGHU WR VKRZ FDXVH ± VHW IRUWK DQ\ IDFWV WKDW ZRXOG HVWDEOLVK
WKDW LW RU DQ\ RI LWV PHPEHUV DVVXPLQJ LW LV D PHPEHUVKLS RUJDQL]DWLRQ ZKLFK LV QRW DOOHJHG LQ
WKH FRPSODLQW KDV VXIIHUHG DQ LQYDVLRQ RI D OHJDOO\ SURWHFWHG LQWHUHVW WKDW LV FRQFUHWH DQG
SDUWLFXODUL]HG DQG DFWXDO RU LPPLQHQW
,Q LWV RUGHU WR VKRZ FDXVH WKH &RXUW SRLQWHG SODLQWLII WR D VWDWHPHQW LQ Lujan WKDW D ³SODLQWLII
UDLVLQJ RQO\ D JHQHUDOO\ DYDLODEOH JULHYDQFH DERXW JRYHUQPHQW ± FODLPLQJ RQO\ KDUP WR KLV DQG
HYHU\ FLWL]HQ¶V LQWHUHVW LQ SURSHU DSSOLFDWLRQ RI WKH &RQVWLWXWLRQ DQG ODZV DQG VHHNLQJ UHOLHI WKDW
QR PRUH GLUHFWO\ DQG WDQJLEO\ EHQHILWV KLP WKDQ LW GRHV WKH SXEOLF DW ODUJH ± GRHV QRW VWDWH DQ $UWLFOH
,,, FDVH RU FRQWURYHUV\´ 2UGHU DW ± TXRWLQJ Lujan 86 DW ± see also Prisology, Inc.
v. Fed. Bureau of Prisons )G ± '& &LU REVHUYLQJ WKDW WKH %XUHDX¶V
DOOHJHG IDLOXUH WR SXEOLVK LWV UHFRUGV HOHFWURQLFDOO\ ZRXOG QRW EH DQ ³LQMXU\´ IRU SXUSRVHV RI $UWLFOH
,,, EHFDXVH LW ZRXOG EH D ³KDUP FRPPRQ WR HYHU\RQH´ DQG LW ZRXOG ³QRW GLIIHUHQWLDWH >SODLQWLII@
IURP WKH SXEOLF DW ODUJH´
7KH &RXUW DOVR HPSKDVL]HG LQ LWV RUGHU WR VKRZ FDXVH WKDW LQ RUGHU IRU DQ RUJDQL]DWLRQDO
SODLQWLII WR DOOHJH LQMXU\LQIDFW LW PXVW GHPRQVWUDWH ³FRQFUHWH DQG GHPRQVWUDEOH LQMXU\ WR WKH
RUJDQL]DWLRQ¶V DFWLYLWLHV ± ZLWK D FRQVHTXHQW GUDLQ RQ WKH RUJDQL]DWLRQ¶V UHVRXUFHV ± FRQVWLWXWLQJ
PRUH WKDQ VLPSO\ D VHWEDFN WR WKH RUJDQL]DWLRQ¶V DEVWUDFW VRFLDO LQWHUHVWV´ 2UGHU DW TXRWLQJ
Nat’l Taxpayers Union, Inc. v. United States )G '& &LU see also Am.
Legal Found. v. FCC )G '& &LU REVHUYLQJ WKDW VXFK D VKRZLQJ UHTXLUHV
³PRUH WKDQ DOOHJDWLRQV RI GDPDJH WR DQ LQWHUHVW LQ µVHHLQJ¶ WKH ODZ REH\HG RU D VRFLDO JRDO
IXUWKHUHG´ Cmty. Nutrition Inst. v. Block )G ± '& &LU KROGLQJ WKDW
D FRQVXPHU RUJDQL]DWLRQ FRXOG QRW HVWDEOLVK VWDQGLQJ ³RQ WKH EDVLV RI LWV DEVWUDFW LQWHUHVW LQ VHHLQJ
WKDW FRQVXPHUV´ UHFHLYH GDLU\ SURGXFWV DW WKH ORZHVW SRVVLEOH SULFH rev’d on other grounds
86
3ODLQWLII GRHV QRW JUDSSOH ZLWK WKHVH OHJDO SULQFLSOHV DW DOO LQ LWV UHVSRQVH ,QGHHG LWV
UHVSRQVH RQO\ VHUYHV WR XQGHUVFRUH WKH IDFW WKDW LW LV VHHNLQJ WR YLQGLFDWH DOOHJHG KDUP WR WKH SXEOLF
DW ODUJH 3ODLQWLII FRPSODLQV DERXW GHIHQGDQWV¶ IDLOXUH WR LQYHVWLJDWH DOOHJHG SURVHFXWRULDO
PLVFRQGXFW OHDNV DQG FRQIOLFWV RI LQWHUHVW RQ WKH SDUW RI WKH 6SHFLDO &RXQVHO DQG KLV WHDP DQG LW
VWDWHV WKDW ³WKH GHQLDO RI DQ HWKLFV LQYHVWLJDWLRQ E\ 235 DQG WKH ,* LV SURRI RI JRYHUQPHQW
FRUUXSWLRQ WKDW WUDQVJUHVVHV IURP DQG WKXV GDPDJHV RQH RI WKH PDLQ REMHFWLYHV RI )UHHGRP :DWFK
DV DQ RUJDQL]DWLRQ´ 3O¶V 5HVS DW see also id. DW ³)UHHGRP :DWFK¶V PLVVLRQ LV WR GLVVHPLQDWH
LQIRUPDWLRQ WR WKH SXEOLF LQ RUGHU WR IXUWKHU FRQVHUYDWLYH SULQFLSOHV JRRG JRYHUQPHQW HWKLFV DQG
UHVSHFW IRU WKH UXOH RI ODZ LQGLYLGXDO OLEHUW\ DQG IUHHGRP´ 7KH IDFW WKDW SODLQWLII KDV WDNHQ RQ
WKH PDQWOH RI VHHNLQJ WR VKLQH OLJKW RQ DOOHJHG JRYHUQPHQWDO ZURQJGRLQJ GRHV QRW PHDQ WKDW LW LV
DIIHFWHG E\ WKDW ZURQJGRLQJ LQ DQ\ SDUWLFXODUL]HG ZD\ ± ZKDW SODLQWLII DOOHJHV LV WKDW WKH
ZURQJGRLQJ KDUPV LWV objective, QRW it 7KLV LV H[DFWO\ WKH VRUW RI DEVWUDFW LQMXU\ WKDW GRHV QRW ULVH
WR WKH OHYHO RI DQ LQMXU\LQIDFW
7KH &RXUW DOVR GLUHFWHG SODLQWLII WR DGGUHVV WKH HOHPHQW RI UHGUHVVDELOLW\ LQ LWV RUGHU WR VKRZ
FDXVH 2UGHU DW ³7R VDWLVI\ WKLV HOHPHQW D SODLQWLII PXVW VKRZ LQ WKH ILUVW LQVWDQFH WKDW WKH FRXUW
LV FDSDEOH RI JUDQWLQJ WKH UHOLHI VRXJKW´ Love v. Vilsack ) 6XSS G ± ''&
Swan v. Clinton )G '& &LU LQGLFDWLQJ WKDW WKH ³UHGUHVVDELOLW\´
HOHPHQW RI VWDQGLQJ HQWDLOV WKH TXHVWLRQ RI ³ZKHWKHU D IHGHUDO FRXUW KDV WKH SRZHU WR JUDQW >WKH
SODLQWLII¶V UHTXHVWHG@ UHOLHI´ 7KH UHOLHI UHTXHVWHG KHUH LV D ZULW SXUVXDQW WR 86&
ZKLFK JUDQWV WKH GLVWULFW FRXUWV MXULVGLFWLRQ RYHU ³DQ\ DFWLRQ LQ WKH QDWXUH RI PDQGDPXV WR FRPSHO
DQ RIILFHU RU HPSOR\HH RI WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV RU DQ\ DJHQF\ WKHUHRI WR SHUIRUP D GXW\ RZHG WR
SODLQWLII´ 0DQGDPXV UHOLHI LV RQO\ SHUPLVVLEOH ZKHQ D SODLQWLII GHPRQVWUDWHV ³ D FOHDU DQG
LQGLVSXWDEOH ULJKW WR UHOLHI WKDW WKH JRYHUQPHQW DJHQF\ RU RIILFLDO LV YLRODWLQJ D FOHDU GXW\ WR
DFW DQG WKDW QR DGHTXDWH DOWHUQDWLYH UHPHG\ H[LVWV´ Am. Hosp. Ass’n v. Burwell )G
'& &LU FLWLQJ United States v. Monzel )G '& &LU
:KLOH SODLQWLII KDV GHWDLOHG WKH VRXUFH RI GHIHQGDQWV¶ DXWKRULW\ WR XQGHUWDNH LQYHVWLJDWLRQV DQG
WKH UHDVRQV ZK\ LQ SODLQWLII¶V YLHZ WKH\ VKRXOG DFW LW SRLQWV WR QR OHJDO VRXUFH RI D PDQGDWRU\
GXW\ RZHG WR SODLQWLII WR DFW DQG WKHUHIRUH VXSSOLHV QR EDVLV IRU WKH &RXUW¶V SRZHU WR RUGHU
GHIHQGDQWV WR GR VR
)RU WKHVH UHDVRQV WKH FDVH ZLOO EH GLVPLVVHG SXUVXDQW WR )HGHUDO 5XOH RI &LYLO 3URFHGXUH
5XOH K IRU ODFN RI WKH VWDQGLQJ WKDW LV QHFHVVDU\ WR HVWDEOLVK VXEMHFWPDWWHU MXULVGLFWLRQ $
VHSDUDWH RUGHU ZLOO LVVXH
62 25'(5('
$0< %(50$1 -$&.621 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 'LVWULFW -XGJH
'$7( 'HFHPEHU
Reference
- Status
- Published