The D.C. Circuit just issued an unusual order in the ongoing saga of Raymond J. Lucia Companies, Inc. v. SEC. I won’t repeat the full background here; this post already does the trick. The dispute is whether SEC administrative law judges are “inferior officers” for purposes of Article II. The Tenth Circuit has held that they are (meaning their manner of appointment is unconstitutional); the D.C. Circuit has held that they are not. Last month, the en banc D.C. Circuit heard oral argument on the question.

Today, the Court issued the following order*:

This cause came on to be heard on the petition for review of an order of the Securities & Exchange Commission and was argued by counsel. On consideration thereof, it is ORDERED and ADJUDGED that the petition for review is denied by an equally divided court. See D.C. Cir. Rule 35(d).

Sometimes it is hard to know what the Supreme Court will do. Here, however, I’ll make a confident prediction: The Supreme Court will grant cert. The Tenth Circuit ruled against the government on a constitutional question, and the en banc D.C. Circuit is evenly divided. That means certiorari.

* Note, “Chief Judge Garland did not participate in this matter.”

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