Court cases

Back to the Future: The USPS, PRC and Mailers revisit the meaning of PAEA

SteveFebruary 19, 2021Blog, Slideshow

The rate case is now in the DC Circuit, where the parties are arguing about what Congress meant when it gave the PRC authority to establish a new rate system.

How the pandemic could lead to a big USPS price hike

SteveJanuary 4, 2021Blog, Slideshow

Under the newly revised system, the possible rate increases are considerably greater than what the PRC had envisioned over the past couple of years

PRC busts the price cap, lawsuits sure to follow

SteveDecember 1, 2020Blog, Slideshow

The new rate system gives the USPS above-inflation pricing authority, but the decision is likely to be challenged in court

Postal Service petitions DC Circuit for rehearing on the rate increase in Forever stamps

SteveOctober 29, 2019Blog

Yesterday the Postal Service filed a petition to the DC Circuit Court for a rehearing in Carlson v. Postal Regulatory Commission. The case involves the question of whether or not the Commission properly followed the relevant statutes when it approved the Postal Service’s increase on First-Class stamps from 50 to 55 cents. Carlson has argued to the PRC and DC Circuit … Read More

How you can help fight the illegal rate increase on Forever stamps

SteveOctober 22, 2019Blog, Slideshow

Submit comments to the Postal Regulatory Commission by October 29, 2019

There Was More to the Price Hike on Stamps Than the Cost

SteveSeptember 27, 2019Blog, Slideshow

There has to be a reason for official decisions beyond “because we say so.”

DC Circuit grants postal watchdog’s challenge to PRC’s approval of rate hike on Forever stamps

SteveSeptember 13, 2019Slideshow, Story

“Although the five-cent stamp price hike may have gone unnoticed by many, the American Revolution was fomented in part by ordinary people who objected to taxation through stamps.”

DC Circuit to hear oral arguments in watchdog’s appeal of PRC approval of 5-cent increase on Forever stamps

SteveMay 2, 2019Slideshow, Story

You can listen to a live stream of the arguments and find an archived version of the recording here.

In bid to drive up postal rates, UPS takes the PRC to the Supreme Court

SteveApril 5, 2019Slideshow, Story

UPS wants SCOTUS to revisit its historic Chevron decision.

Postal watchdog appeals PRC decision approving five-cent increase in Forever stamps

SteveJanuary 27, 2019Story

The five-cent increase will be the largest in history for a First Class stamp, and in percentage terms, it’s the largest since 1991 and about four times the average increase since 2006.

D.C. Circuit Court rejects UPS request for a rehearing on USPS costing case

SteveAugust 8, 2018Story

In May a three-member panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals denied an appeal by the United Parcel Service challenging a ruling by the Postal Regulatory Commission concerning how the Postal Service determines the costs of its products.  On July 6, UPS requested a rehearing en banc, meaning that it asked the full D.C. Circuit, which currently has eleven active judges, to … Read More

UPS goes back to court on USPS costing methodology

SteveJuly 16, 2018Slideshow, Story

UPS says the Postal Service should be required to raise its parcel prices now so that it doesn’t turn into a parcel monopoly that can raise its prices later.

PRC approves new USPS internal service performance measurement system

SteveJuly 6, 2018Slideshow, Story

After over three years of study, the Commission has determined that the new system is capable of reporting “accurate, reliable, and representative” data.

Court turns back UPS bid to drive up USPS parcel prices

SteveMay 29, 2018Slideshow, Story

The winners are the small businesses that won’t pay higher shipping rates and consumers who shop online.

Judge Finds No Issue in Bid to Block Sale of Berkeley’s Historic Post Office

SteveMay 15, 2018Blog

Courthouse News Service: In a victory for opponents of the U.S. Postal Service’s planned sale of the historic Berkeley, California, post office, a federal judge found Monday that the government could not prove a city ordinance blocking the sale is unconstitutional. In 2011, the Postal Service announced plans to sell the 104-year old neoclassical building, designed by famed architect Oscar … Read More

City of Berkeley wins lawsuit with the Postal Service over zoning law involving historic post office

SteveMay 14, 2018Story

The City of Berkeley has won its lawsuit with the Postal Service over the rezoning of the downtown area where the historic post office is located. The Postal Service filed this action in federal court back in August 2016.  The Postal Service complained that the zoning ordinance enacted by the City of Berkeley in September 2014 had interfered with its efforts to … Read More