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Foundation for Government Accountability Applauds Rep. Hageman for Defending Americans’ Right to a Fair Trial

NAPLES, FL—Today, the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) praises Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) for introducing the Seventh Amendment Restoration Act. This vital legislation will uphold every American’s right to a fair trial.

This legislation is in direct response to the findings in the Supreme Court case SEC v. Jarkesy, in which the SEC was found to violate the defendant’s right to a jury trial by using the agency’s own judge in many cases. Agencies enjoyed a staggering success rate of more than 90 percent before these appointed judges, raising serious concerns about fairness and impartiality.

Rep. Hageman’s Seventh Amendment Restoration Actwould:

  • Give Americans the right to remove their cases before an administrative agency to a district court where they reside or have their principal place of business. This covers many cases, especially those handled by agency staff who aren’t real judges.
  • Balance the protection of Seventh Amendment rights with the need to prevent overburdening the court system by allowing, but not requiring, cases to move from agency processes to regular courts.

“Rep. Hageman’s Seventh Amendment Restoration Act would throw a lifeline to Americans stuck in the swamp of the agency court system. Her legislation represents a critical return to proper separation of powers by restoring the Article III branch’s constitutional role and helping individuals reclaim their right to fair proceedings in an impartial court,” said Stewart Whitson, Senior Director of Federal Affairs for the Foundation for Government Accountability.  

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The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) is a non-profit, multi-state think tank that promotes public policy solutions to create opportunities for every American to experience the American Dream. To learn more, visit TheFGA.org.

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