Overview
- U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, a Trump appointee in the Central District of California, dismissed the case after finding the federal government failed to show a personal, redressable injury.
- Scarsi warned that permitting suits without such injury could open the door to political campaigns of preemption brought through the federal courts.
- The Justice Department alleged California’s voter-approved measures from 2008 and 2018 requiring cage-free hens and other limits were preempted by the Egg Products Inspection Act and contributed to higher prices.
- The ruling is viewed as a procedural win for California, yet the judge noted the government might articulate alternative standing theories if it chooses to replead.
- The opinion drew notice for its chicken-and-egg puns in a dispute tied to egg price spikes that became a national political issue in 2024.