Lucia v Securities and Exchange Commission 2018

Supreme Court Rules SEC ALJs Are “Officers” Under Appointments Clause in Lucia v Securities and Exchange Commission

In Lucia v Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Securities and Exchange Commission administrative law judges (ALJs) are “officers of the United States,” subject to the Constitution’s Appointments Clause. The decision calls into question the validity of ALJ appointments throughout the federal bureaucracy.