Supreme Court bars suits against the Postal Service - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
by David G. SavageFebruary 24, 2026
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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Postal Service is shielded from lawsuits, even when postal employees intentionally fail to deliver mail. In a 5-4 decision, justices upheld a 1946 law that bars legal claims related to lost, stolen, or misdirected mail, regardless of intent or negligence. The court’s majority concluded that such cases fall under the “postal exception,” which broadly protects the Postal Service from liability.
The case originated with Lebene Konan, a Texas real estate agent who sued after postal workers allegedly refused to deliver her mail due to racial discrimination. She claimed intentional misconduct by postal employees, including changing the listed owner on a central postal box and withholding her mail for over two years. While her claim of racial bias was dismissed, the 5th Circuit Court allowed her suit to proceed, arguing that intentional nondelivery could be addressed under existing法律.
However, the Supreme Court’s decision overturned this ruling, stating that the 1946 law explicitly bars lawsuits involving the “loss, miscarriage, or negligent transmission” of mail. Writing for the majority, Justice Clarence Thomas emphasized that this exception applies even when postal employees act intentionally, including instances of deliberate withholding or misdirection.
In dissent, Justice Sonia S
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Originally published on Los Angeles Times on 2/24/2026