Opinion ID: 392253
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Mandamus Action

Text: 16 In United States ex rel. McLennan v. Wilbur, 283 U.S. 414, 420, 51 S.Ct. 502, 504, 75 L.Ed. 1148 (1931), the Supreme Court discussed the issuance of mandamus against federal officials. The Court stated: 17 Under the established rule the writ of mandamus cannot be made to serve the purpose of an ordinary suit. It will issue only where the duty to be performed is ministerial and the obligation to act peremptory, and plainly defined. The law must not only authorize the demanded action, but require it; the duty must be clear and indisputable. (Citations omitted.) 18 Appellants argue that mandamus is proper because the Secretary was obligated to give them adequate notice of changes in the eligibility requirements for emergency disaster loans. They contend that this was required under 7 C.F.R. Part 1832.3(b)(3) (1973) which provided: 19 (3) When an area is designated by the Secretary, the National Office will notify the State Director and the Finance Office regarding such area designation. The notification will specify the period within which initial loans may be made to new applicants as a result of the disaster for which the area was designated. The State Director will notify immediately the county offices involved and this notification will be confirmed by a State requirement issued as soon as possible. The State Director also will notify the State USDA Defense Board Chairman and will make such public announcements as appear appropriate. 20 (i) Immediately upon receiving notice of the designation of counties under his jurisdiction, the County Supervisor will notify the appropriate County USDA Defense Board Chairman and make such public announcements as appear appropriate. Also, the County Supervisor will explain to other agricultural lenders in the area the assistance available under the EM loan program. (Emphasis added.) 21 The government maintains that the provision of this regulation concerning appropriate public announcements was applicable only to the original designation of the five counties as a natural disaster area eligible for emergency assistance loans and did not apply to the manner in which information concerning the SBAA was disseminated. We agree. 22 In Wilbur v. United States, 281 U.S. 206, 218-19, 50 S.Ct. 320, 324, 74 L.Ed. 809 (1930), the Supreme Court stated: 23 The duties of executive officers ... usually are connected with the administration of statutes which must be read and in a sense construed to ascertain what is required. But it does not follow that these administrative duties all involve judgment or discretion of the character intended by the rule just stated. Where the duty in a particular situation is so plainly prescribed as to be free from doubt and equivalent to a positive command it is regarded as being so far ministerial that its performance may be compelled by mandamus, unless there be provision or implication to the contrary. But where the duty is not thus plainly prescribed but depends upon a statute or statutes the construction or application of which is not free from doubt, it is regarded as involving the character of judgment or discretion which cannot be controlled by mandamus. (Footnotes omitted.) (Emphasis added.) 24 7 C.F.R. § 1832.3(b) is entitled Designation by the Secretary. The wording is specifically directed to the original designation. No mention of any continuing obligation is made. In addition, the SBAA contains no notification requirement. The regulation does not set forth the type of free from doubt duty of performance which may be compelled by mandamus. 25 Neither can Special Instruction 441.5 provide the basis for a mandamus action. The issuance of this special instruction was discretionary with the Secretary and therefore did not violate any mandatory language of the SBAA. Such action is not subject to judicial review in a mandamus action. 3