Agency compliance with court orders
Johnson v. District of Columbia Public Schools
In brief
- Where it stands
- Dismissed
Petition denied.
- What it’s about
- Andrew Johnson argued that the D.C. Court of Appeals should have independently reviewed whether an agency followed an earlier court order, rather than defer to the agency’s findings under a “substantial evidence” test.
- Who it affects
- The denial ended Johnson’s request for Supreme Court review but did not resolve his constitutional claim.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.

What it's about
The Supreme Court refused to hear his case (denied review), so it did not decide whether the Constitution requires independent review.
The legal question linked Loper Bright’s requirement that courts independently judge legal questions to review of an agency’s compliance with a prior court order.
Question presented
1. Whether, in light of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, 603 U.S. 369 (2024), which requires courts to exercise independent judgment on questions of law rather than defer to agency determinations, an appellate court violates the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment when it applies deferential “substantial evidence” review — rather than de novo review — to determine whether an administrative agency complied with specific legal directives contained in a prior judicial remand order. 2. Whether de novo review is constitutionally required when an appellate court reviews a government agency’s compliance with specific legal findings contained in a prior judicial remand order, such that applying deferential review effectively nullifies the reviewing court’s prior legal determinations and renders judicial remand orders unenforceable against government agencies.
Documents
Docket activity
New analysis added
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
AI analysis generated: Decision Record
Case data updated: summary, question_presented, generation_metadata
Case data updated: question_presented, extraction_metadata
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Brief added: Petition
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.