PMTC v. ACCREDITATION ALLIANCE OF CAREER SCHOOLS

Nos. 14-1086, 14-1136.

781 F.3d 161 (2015)

PROFESSIONAL MASSAGE TRAINING CENTER, INCORPORATED, a Missouri Corporation, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. ACCREDITATION ALLIANCE OF CAREER SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, d/b/a Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, a Virginia Corporation, Defendant-Appellant. Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant; Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine; Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education; Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, Incorporated; Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges; Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training; Accrediting Council for Independent Schools and Colleges; American Council on Education; Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors; Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering; Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges; Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Council for Higher Education Accreditation; Council for Podiatric Medication Education; Council on Education for Public Health; Council on Occupational Education; Distance Education and Training Council; Middle States Commission on Higher Education, The; National Architectural Accrediting Board; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College Commission; Higher Learning Commission, Amici Supporting Appellant, American Council of Trustees and Alumni; The John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy; Judicial Education Project, Amici Supporting Appellee. Professional Massage Training Center, Incorporated, a Missouri Corporation, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Accreditation Alliance of Career Schools and Colleges, d/b/a Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, a Virginia Corporation, Defendant-Appellee. Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors; Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, Incorporated; Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training; Accrediting Council for Independent Schools and Colleges; Council on Occupational Education; Distance Education and Training Council; Council for Higher Education Accreditation; Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges; Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education; Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering; Council on Education for Public Health; Council for Podiatric Medication Education; Middle States Commission on Higher Education, The; National Architectural Accrediting Board; Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; American Council on Education; Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant; Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College Commission; Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Amici Supporting Appellee, American Council of Trustees and Alumni; The John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy; Judicial Education Project, Amici Supporting Appellant.

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.

Decided: March 24, 2015.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

ARGUED: Craig C. Martin , Michael Anthony Scodro , Jenner & Block, LLP, Chicago, Illinois, for Appellant/Cross-Appellee. Matthew Lorn Hoppock , Dunn & Davison LLC, Kansas City, Missouri, for Appellee/Cross-Appellant. ON BRIEF: Sarah A. Palmer , Jenner & Block, LLP, Chicago, Illinois, for Appellant/Cross-Appellee. Ronald L. Holt , Julie G. Gibson , Dunn & Davison LLC, Kansas City, Missouri, for Appellee/Cross-Appellant. Mary E. Kohart , Dean R. Phillips , Gregory S. Voshell , Michelle L. Modery , Elliott Greenleaf & Siedzikowski, P.C., Blue Bell, Pennsylvania; Kenneth J. Ingram , Thomas Mugavero , Whiteford Taylor Preston, LLP, Washington, D.C.; Ada Meloy , American Council on Education, Washington, D.C., for Amici Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, Incorporated, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges-Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training, Accrediting Council for Independent Schools and Colleges, American Council on Education, Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors, Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, Council for Higher Education Accreditation, Council for Podiatric Medication Education, Council on Education for Public Health, Council on Occupational Education, Distance Education and Training Council, Higher Learning Commission, The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, National Architectural Accrediting Board, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College Commission. Shannen W. Coffin , Jeffrey M. Theodore , Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Washington, D.C., for Amici American Council of Trustees and Alumni, Judicial Education Project, and The John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy.

Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded with instructions by published opinion. Judge WILKINSON wrote the opinion, in which Judge AGEE and Judge HARRIS joined.


The Professional Massage Training Center (PMTC) brought this suit against the Accreditation Alliance of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC or the Commission) for violation of its due process rights after ACCSC denied the school's application for re-accreditation in 2010. Following a four-day bench trial, the district court...

Let's get started

Leagle.com

Welcome to the leading source of independent legal reporting
Sign on now to see your case.
Or view more than 10 million decisions and orders.

  • Updated daily.
  • Uncompromising quality.
  • Complete, Accurate, Current.

Listed below are the cases that are cited in this Featured Case. Click the citation to see the full text of the cited case. Citations are also linked in the body of the Featured Case.

Cited Cases

  • No Cases Found

Listed below are those cases in which this Featured Case is cited. Click on the case name to see the full text of the citing case.

Citing Cases