7 USC 6106 – Petition and review
Terms Used In 7 USC 6106
- 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.
- person: means any individual, group of individuals, partnership, corporation, association, cooperative, or any other legal entity. See 7 USC 6102
- 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 6102
- United States: include the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See 7 USC 6102
(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 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 the petition, in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary.
(3) Ruling
After such hearing, the Secretary shall make a ruling on the petition, which shall be final if in accordance with law.
(b) Review
(1) Commencement of action
The district courts of the United States in any district in which a person who is a petitioner under subsection (a) resides or carries on business are hereby vested with jurisdiction to review the ruling on such person’s petition, if a complaint for that purpose is filed within 20 days after the date of the entry of such ruling of the Secretary under subsection (a).
(2) Process
Service of process in such proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(3) Remands
If the court determines that such ruling is not in accordance with 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 action 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 obtaining relief pursuant to section 6107 of this title.