enforcement

Major Telecom Trade Groups to Supreme Court: FCC Can’t Fine Us

The high court will hear arguments on the issue in April

Jake Neenan

Jake Neenan

— 2 min read
Major Telecom Trade Groups to Supreme Court: FCC Can’t Fine Us
Photo of the Supreme Court building by Juliana Uribbe / Unsplash

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2026 – Major telecom trade groups are urging the Supreme Court to find that the industry’s main federal regulator can’t issue fines for violations of its rules.

CTIA, NCTA, and USTelecom submitted a joint filing with the high court Wednesday arguing the Federal Communications Commission’s process for fining companies, as outlined in the Communications Act, was unconstitutional. 

They, and the major wireless carriers who were fined in 2024, pointed to the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in SEC v. Jarkesy, which found that under the U.S. Constitution, companies need the option of a jury trial before paying fines.

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enforcement CTIA NCTA USTelecom FCC Brendan Carr AT&T Verizon T-Mobile Chamber of Commerce SEC v. Jarkesy Supreme Court DOJ

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