Digital Inclusion

FCC’s Order Raising Inmate Call Rates Faces Federal Court Appeals

Prison advocacy group asks Third Circuit to overturn rate changes

Jericho Casper

Dec 15, 2025 — 2 min read

Photo of James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse, which houses the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in downtown Philadelphia, by Diego Radzinschi/ALM.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2025 – The Federal Communications Commission’s latest reset of inmate calling rules faces new challenges in federal courts.

The Pennsylvania Prison Society petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Wednesday to review and overturn the FCC’s latest inmate calling order.

At least two other organizations, Direct Action for Rights and Equality and the United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry, also sued the agency over the order. DARE sued in the D.C. Circuit and UCC Media Justice sued in the First Circuit. They asked judges to find some or all of the order was unlawful and remand it back to the FCC.