Chevron Doctrine
Administrative Law · Lesson 05
Chevron Doctrine
這一課問的是：法院應如何審查機關對授權法律之解釋？Chevron 是否仍為有效法律？
ActorActObjectStandardConsequence
Visual Scene · the picture in your head
Issue. How should a court review an agency's interpretation of its authorizing statute — and is Chevron still good law?
這一課問的是：法院應如何審查機關對授權法律之解釋？Chevron 是否仍為有效法律？
Core Terminology · 7 must-know
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Chevron two-step
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Step 1: statute ambiguous? Step 2: agency interpretation reasonable?
Chevron 兩步。
step zero
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Whether Chevron framework applies at all (Mead).
步驟零（Mead）。
Mead
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Chevron applies when Congress delegated authority to act with force of law.
Mead。
Loper Bright
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Supreme Court 2024: overruled Chevron — courts decide statutory questions independently.
Loper Bright。
Skidmore
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Pre-Chevron framework: agency interpretation persuasive based on thoroughness, consistency, valid reasoning.
Skidmore。
major questions doctrine
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Agencies need clear congressional authorization for major questions.
重大問題原則。
delegation
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Congress's grant of interpretive authority.
授權。
Issue · what this lesson is really about
How should a court review an agency's interpretation of its authorizing statute — and is Chevron still good law?
這一課問的是：法院應如何審查機關對授權法律之解釋？Chevron 是否仍為有效法律？
Trigger words & phrases that should flag this issue:
statutory interpretationambiguouspermissiblereasonableLoper Bright
Expression Bank · how lawyers actually say it
Six function → sentence patterns. Use these in essay applications.
| Function | English sentence | 中文 |
|---|---|---|
| State Chevron | Under Chevron (pre-2024), if statute was ambiguous, court deferred to agency's reasonable interpretation. | Chevron：法律不明則尊重機關之合理解釋。 |
| State Loper Bright | Loper Bright (2024) overruled Chevron — courts now decide statutory questions de novo using traditional tools. | Loper Bright 廢 Chevron — 法院 de novo 解釋。 |
| Apply Skidmore | Post-Loper Bright, agency interpretations carry weight under Skidmore-style respect based on persuasiveness. | Loper Bright 後：Skidmore 式說服力。 |
| Apply major questions | Even under prior Chevron, major questions doctrine required clear congressional authorization for transformative agency action. | 重大問題原則仍須明確授權。 |
Rule Sentence · the workhorse
Under the now-overruled Chevron doctrine, courts deferred to an agency's reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous statute it administered; following Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (2024), courts now exercise independent judgment in interpreting statutes, giving agency interpretations the weight warranted by their persuasiveness under Skidmore.
Sentence Anatomy · 5 roles, 5 colors
Every rule sentence breaks into five visual roles.
Actor 行為人reviewing court審查法院
Act 行為interpreting statute解釋法律
Object 對象agency interpretation機關解釋
Standard 法律標準Loper Bright (post-2024) · Chevron (historic)Loper Bright（2024 後）/ Chevron（歷史）
Consequence 後果independent interpretation獨立解釋
Casebook Snapshot · a real American case
Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo
Holding. Chevron is overruled. Courts must exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority, and may not defer to an agency's interpretation of the law simply because a statute is ambiguous. Skidmore respect remains.
Why it matters. Loper Bright fundamentally reshaped administrative law — agencies no longer get Chevron deference on statutory interpretation.
Loper Bright：廢 Chevron — 法院獨立判斷；機關解釋僅獲 Skidmore 說服力之尊重。
Common Mistakes · what trips students
✗ Chevron 仍為 controlling law。
✓ Loper Bright (2024) overruled Chevron.
Loper Bright 已廢。
✗ agency interpretations 一概 binding。
✓ Post-Loper Bright, persuasive weight only.
Loper Bright 後僅說服力。
Mini IRAC · build the Application
Issue. Post-Loper Bright, must a court defer to the EPA's interpretation that "stationary source" includes entire plants when reviewing the agency's regulation?
Rule. Under Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (2024), courts must exercise independent judgment in interpreting statutes; agency interpretations receive weight under Skidmore based on persuasiveness but no Chevron-style deference.
Application (model). The EPA interprets "stationary source" to include entire plants. Post-Loper Bright, the court must independently interpret the statute. Because Loper Bright overruled Chevron and requires courts to decide statutory questions independently, the fact that the agency's interpretation receives only Skidmore-style respect based on its persuasiveness — not automatic deference — means the court determines the meaning using ordinary tools of statutory interpretation.
Pick the right element for each blank:
g1.
g2.
Conclusion. Therefore, the court will independently interpret the statute, giving the agency's view only the weight warranted by its persuasiveness.
MBE Check · multiple choice
Post-Loper Bright (2024), an agency claims Chevron deference for its interpretation of an ambiguous statute. How should the court respond?
Practice Drill · tap to build the rule
Drop the chips here in correct order:
Tap chips to add → tap chips in the target to remove: