Question Presented (AI Summary)
Is § 6103 a specific statute displacing FOIA, so that the remedy for taxpayers to compel disclosure of their returns and return information is a suit under the APA to enforce § 6103?
Question Presented (OCR Extract)
Question Presented Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 6103, establishes a liberal and detailed regime for taxpayers to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) their own tax returns and return information (including the returns and return information of estates they administer and corporations to which they are closely tied). At the same time, the provision severely limits anyone from obtaining another’s returns and return information. Previously, this Court upheld enforcement of § 6103's limits on disclosure of others’ return information in a claim brought under the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), 5 U.S.C. § 552. See Church of Scientology v. IRS, 484 U.S. 9, 18 (1987). But the Court has not addressed the proper judicial review scheme for taxpayers seeking to compel disclosure of their own returns and return information. The Sixth and Seventh Circuits have held that § 6103 is a specific statute displacing FOIA, making a suit to enforce § 6103 under the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”), 5 U.S.C. § 706, the remedy to challenge an IRS disclosure refusal. The Third, Fifth, Tenth, Eleventh, and D.C. Circuits have held that FOIA — with its more limited requirement for searches for records, its exemptions to disclosure, and its unique enforcement scheme — exclusively controls. The First Circuit has sanctioned a hybrid approach. The Question Presented is: Is § 6103 a specific statute displacing FOIA, so that the remedy for taxpayers to compel disclosure of their returns and return information is a suit under the APA to enforce § 6103?
2024-11-26
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/13/2024.
2024-11-21
Reply of petitioner William E. Powell filed.
2024-11-08
Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
2024-11-08
Brief of Yellen, in Her Official Capacity as Secretary of the United States Department of Treasury, Janet L., et al. in opposition submitted.
2024-10-11
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including November 8, 2024.
2024-10-09
Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 15, 2024 to November 8, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
2024-10-09
Motion of Yellen, in Her Official Capacity as Secretary of the United States Department of Treasury, Janet L., et al. for an extension of time submitted.
2024-09-06
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 15, 2024. See Rule 30.1.
2024-09-05
Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 13, 2024 to October 14, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
2024-09-05
Motion of Yellen, in Her Official Capacity as Secretary of the United States Department of Treasury, Janet L., et al. for an extension of time submitted.
2024-08-14
Response Requested. (Due September 13, 2024)
2024-08-14
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/30/2024.
2024-07-31
Waiver of right of respondent Janet L. Yellen, in Her Official Capacity as Secretary of the United States Department of Treasury, et al. to respond filed.
2024-07-31
Waiver of right of respondent Yellen, in Her Official Capacity as Secretary of the United States Department of Treasury, Janet L., et al. to respond filed.
2024-07-31
Waiver of Yellen, in Her Official Capacity as Secretary of the United States Department of Treasury, Janet L., et al. of right to respond submitted.
2024-06-27
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 31, 2024)
2024-05-23
Application (23A1032) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until June 28, 2024.
2024-05-16
Application (23A1032) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 29, 2024 to June 28, 2024, submitted to The Chief Justice.