FTC Order Barring ‘Free’ TurboTax Ads Axed by US Appeals Court

A Biden-era order from the Federal Trade Commission barring Intuit Inc. from advertising one of its TurboTax products as free was struck down by a federal appeals court.

The agency’s claim under the FTC Act that Intuit deceived consumers needed to be brought before a federal district court, not an in-house administrative law judge, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said in a 3-0 ruling Friday, remanding the case to the agency for further proceedings.

The panel’s ruling marks the latest blow for agency administrative powers following the US Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in SEC v. Jarkesy ...