Supreme Court splits 5-4 to block lawsuits against postal refusals to deliver mail
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Supreme Court: US Postal Service Can't Be Sued for Intentional Nondelivery
Is the USPS essential public infrastructure or an inefficient money pit that should be privatized?
Above: The U.S. Postal Service flag at the Washington Main Office in Washington, D.C., on March 23, 2025. Image credit: Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
Sovereign immunity protects the Postal Service from lawsuits even when mail is intentionally withheld, and that's exactly how it should work. The USPS serves as critical public infrastructure with a 250-year universal service obligation, ensuring every American has access to affordable postal services regardless of location. Rural small businesses depend on nearby post offices for shipping, P.O. boxes and certified mail in ways that private carriers charging $20 surcharges simply cannot replace.
Narrative B
The Postal Service has become an inefficient money pit that wastes taxpayer dollars through mismanagement and outdated operations. Packages take absurd detours, adding thousands of unnecessary miles, while the USPS subsidizes big companies like Amazon at rock-bottom rates, then gouges regular citizens with excessive fees. Cutting service to once weekly with opt-in paid subscriptions would eliminate junk mail, while private carriers like UPS and FedEx already handle delivery far more efficiently.
Metaculus Prediction
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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0