Sackett v. EPA

The EPA (defendant) issued a Compliance Order against Michael and Chantell Sackett (plaintiffs), asserting they had placed fill on their vacant lot near a lake without a permit in violation of the Clean Water Act, directing them to restore the site per an EPA-created plan and exposing them to penalties up to $75,000 per day for noncompliance. The Sacketts sued under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) to block enforcement of the order without first going through an EPA-initiated enforcement proceeding; the district court dismissed their suit, and the court of appeals affirmed, before the Supreme Court granted certiorari.