In the case of Florida Power & Light Co. v. Lorion, DBA Center for Nuclear Responsibility et al., 1984, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that federal courts have jurisdiction to review decisions made by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The dispute arose when a group of residents living near a nuclear power plant in Florida filed complaints with NRC about safety concerns and requested an investigation into potential hazards at the facility. When NRC dismissed their claims without conducting any substantial inquiry or hearing, they appealed to federal court arguing that NRC's decision was arbitrary and capricious under Administrative Procedure Act standards. However, lower courts were divided on whether they had authority to hear such cases directly from agency actions rather than through appeals from licensing boards within agencies themselves. The Supreme Court held in favor of petitioners stating that Congress intended for judicial review of all final orders issued by independent regulatory commissions like NCR regardless if it came directly from them or via internal administrative channels first. This ruling clarified procedural ambiguities regarding how citizens can challenge government regulations affecting public health and safety.

In the dissenting opinion for Florida Power & Light Co. v. Lorion, Justice White argued that the majority's decision to allow judicial review of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) decisions was a misinterpretation of Congressional intent and would result in unnecessary delays in nuclear power plant licensing proceedings. He believed that Congress intended for NRC determinations not to be subject to immediate judicial review until after an actual license amendment or renewal had been granted or denied by the NRC itself, as this would ensure efficiency and avoid premature litigation on issues that might never become relevant if a license were ultimately denied. Furthermore, he expressed concern about courts becoming prematurely involved in complex technical matters best left to expert agencies like the NRC.