Judges Probe FCC’s $57 Million Fine Against AT&T

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2025 – AT&T urged a panel of Fifth Circuit judges Tuesday to toss a $57 million fine for allegedly not taking care to protect consumer location data the company sold to third parties. Judges probed both the carrier’s argument that it was entitled to a jury trial before being fined under recent Supreme Court precedent.

The high court found in a June 2024 decision that the Securities and Exchange Commission violated the Seventh Amendment by levying civil fines without providing the option of a jury trial. Pratik Shah, representing AT&T, argued that nullifies the FCC’s forfeiture process as well.

The Justice Department does pursue unpaid fines in court, but Shah argued there was no guarantee the DOJ would do so.