How do courts treat agency factual findings?

• A. Courts defer to agency expertise for factual findings only when supported by substantial evidence.
• B. Courts review all facts independently and do not defer.
• C. Courts defer to agency expertise but require substantial evidence to support factual determinations.
• D. Courts defer automatically and never review the factual determinations.

Answer: (C)

Courts defer to agency factual findings but require substantial evidence to support them. Under the Administrative Procedure Act, when an agency resolves factual questions in its decision, the court reviews the record to see if those factual determinations are supported by substantial evidence. Substantial evidence means more than a mere scintilla; it is such relevant evidence as a reasonable person might accept as adequate to support the conclusion, considering the entire record. This reflects respect for the agency’s expertise while ensuring there is a robust evidentiary basis for the agency’s findings. The court does not substitute its own view of the facts or reweigh conflicting evidence so long as the agency’s inferences are reasonable and supported by the record. If the findings lack substantial evidence, the action can be reversed or remanded.