7 USC 6306 – Petition and review
Terms Used In 7 USC 6306
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- order: means an order issued under section 6303 of this title. See 7 USC 6302
- person: means any individual, group of individuals, partnership, corporation, association, cooperative, or any other legal entity. See 7 USC 6302
- Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
- Secretary: means the Secretary of Agriculture. See 7 USC 6302
- United States: consist of the 50 States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See 7 USC 6302
(a) Petition
(1) In general
A person subject to an order issued under this chapter may file with the Secretary a petition—
(A) stating that the order, any provision of the order, or any obligation imposed in connection with the order is not established in accordance with law; and
(B) requesting a modification of the order or an exemption from the order.
(2) Hearings
The petitioner shall be given the opportunity for a hearing on a petition filed under paragraph (1), in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary.
(3) Ruling
After a hearing under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall make a ruling on the petition that is the subject of the hearing, which shall be final if such ruling is in accordance with applicable law.
(b) Review
(1) Commencement of action
The district court of the United States in any district in which the person who is a petitioner under subsection (a) resides or carries on business shall have jurisdiction to review a ruling on the petition of such person under such subsection, if a complaint for that purpose is filed not later than 20 days after the date of the entry of a ruling by the Secretary under such subsection (a).
(2) Process
Service of process in a proceeding under paragraph (1) shall be conducted in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(3) Remands
If the court determines, under paragraph (1), that a ruling issued under subsection (a)(3) is not in accordance with applicable law, the court shall remand the matter to the Secretary with directions either—
(A) to make such ruling as the court shall determine to be in accordance with law; or
(B) to take such further proceedings as, in the opinion of the court, the law requires.
(4) Enforcement
The pendency of proceedings instituted under subsection (a) shall not impede, hinder, or delay the Attorney General or the Secretary from taking any action under section 6307 of this title.