Farmer Who Challenged Debt-Relief Program Fails in Fee Appeal

A Tennessee man isn’t entitled to legal fees for challenging as discriminatory a federal debt-relief program for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers that was repealed while his case played out, an appeals court said Wednesday.

Although Robert Holman obtained a preliminary injunction before Congress repealed the program, he doesn’t qualify as a prevailing party entitled to costs under the Equal Access to Justice Act, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said in an unpublished opinion.

Congress in 2021 created a US Department of Agriculture program to provide debt-relief to farmers and ranchers who are “socially disadvantaged.” ...