Supreme Court Rules USPS Shielded From Lawsuit by Texas Woman Alleging Mail Withheld Due to Race

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against a Texas woman who sought to sue the U.S. Postal Service, claiming mail carriers intentionally withheld her mail because she is Black.

In a narrow 5-4 decision, the court determined that federal law shields the Postal Service from certain lawsuits related to mail delivery, even in cases where mail is allegedly withheld on purpose. Writing for the majority, Justice Clarence Thomas said allowing such lawsuits could create a significant burden for the government and the courts because of how frequently postal workers interact with the public.

The case centers on Lebene Konan, a Texas real estate agent and landlord who alleged postal officials refused to deliver mail to properties she owns in suburban Dallas. She claimed local postal workers changed the lock on her post office box and stopped delivering mail to her tenants as part of a racially motivated campaign. Court records show she filed more than 50 administrative complaints and received confirmation from postal authorities that she was entitled to mail delivery.

A federal district court dismissed her lawsuit, citing a legal exemption that limits claims involving the loss or mishandling of mail. A federal appeals court later allowed the case to move forward, ruling the exemption applied only to unintentional errors — not deliberate actions. The Supreme Court overturned that decision.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing in dissent and joined by three other justices, argued the ruling improperly expands the government’s legal protections and limits accountability when harm is intentional.

The Justice Department has said the mail was withheld for technical reasons, claiming Konan failed to maintain required tenant records. That dispute was not the focus of the Supreme Court’s review.

Federal officials warned that allowing lawsuits like Konan’s could open the Postal Service to a wave of litigation. The agency delivers more than 100 billion pieces of mail each year to millions of addresses nationwide.

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