Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Accusing the AVMA of Monopolizing the Veterinarian Supply — Lincoln Memorial University v. AVMA, No. 3:25-CV-00282

A federal judge just threw out a lawsuit that accused the American Veterinary Medical Association of using its grip on vet school accreditation to choke off the supply of new veterinarians — and drive up what you pay at the vet. The case didn’t die because the judge thought the AVMA’s practices were fine. It died because the university suing them jumped the gun. Here’s what the case alleged, what the law says, and where this actually leaves things.

AVMA Veterinarian Monopoly Lawsuit — Key Facts

Plaintiff	Lincoln Memorial University (Tennessee)
Defendant	American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Court & Case Number	U.S. District Court, E.D. Tennessee — No. 3:25-cv-00282
Presiding Judge	Thomas A. Varlan
Law Alleged	Federal antitrust law (Sherman Act monopolization theory)
What Was Sought	Injunction only — no monetary damages
Current Stage	Dismissed for lack of standing/ripeness (September 2, 2026)
Lead Plaintiff Deadline	N/A
Settlement Status	No settlement — case dismissed, not resolved on the merits
Last Updated	September 3, 2026

Who Is the AVMA and Why Was It Sued?

The AVMA represents more than 100,000 veterinarians nationwide, and through its Council on Education, it’s the only body that accredits U.S. veterinary schools. That gatekeeper role is exactly what Lincoln Memorial challenged: a trade group made up of practicing veterinarians also controls how many new veterinarians the country’s schools are allowed to produce. LMU argued that’s a built-in conflict of interest baked into an accreditation monopoly.

What Did Lincoln Memorial Actually Allege?

Lincoln Memorial sued in June 2025 after the AVMA placed its veterinary program — the largest in the country — on probationary accreditation. The university’s complaint claimed the AVMA’s Council on Education was demanding costly, research-heavy standards that had nothing to do with training competent, practice-ready veterinarians, and that meeting them would require resources smaller or newer schools couldn’t afford. With only about 34 accredited U.S. veterinary colleges despite rising demand, Lincoln Memorial argued that gatekeeping was suppressing the number of veterinarians entering the field — and pushing up the cost of animal care for everyone else. Notably, LMU wasn’t asking for a dime. It asked the court to order the AVMA to separate its accrediting arm from the association itself.

That’s the “so what” that matters here: even a case built entirely around future prices for pet owners can collapse before it ever gets near that question, if the plaintiff can’t show it’s been concretely harmed yet.

Why Did the Judge Dismiss the Case?

Judge Varlan didn’t rule on whether the AVMA’s accreditation standards violate antitrust law. He ruled that Lincoln Memorial got to the courthouse too early. The university was still accredited — just on probation — and no final decision revoking that status had been issued. Varlan found the university’s predicted future harm too speculative to support a lawsuit right now, writing that the feared loss of accreditation “may never come true.” In legal terms, LMU hadn’t shown the kind of concrete, imminent injury federal courts require before they’ll hear a case.

That distinction matters for anyone reading this because they’re worried about vet costs generally: this dismissal isn’t a finding that the AVMA’s system is lawful or competitive. It’s a finding that this particular plaintiff, at this particular moment, hadn’t been hurt enough yet to sue over it.

Did the Justice Department Weigh in on This?

Yes, and its position outlasts this dismissal. In December 2025, the DOJ’s Antitrust Division filed a statement of interest in the case — not backing Lincoln Memorial’s specific facts, but putting down a marker that professional accreditation bodies like the AVMA are not immune from antitrust law and cannot use unnecessarily restrictive standards to block new providers from entering a profession. The department specifically flagged the flat number of accredited veterinary colleges against a growing population as a competition concern worth watching. That statement wasn’t undone by this ruling, and it signals the DOJ may keep an eye on veterinary accreditation even with this case gone.

What Happens Next?

This isn’t necessarily the end of the fight — it’s a pause. If the AVMA later issues a final decision stripping Lincoln Memorial’s accreditation, or if the school suffers a concrete, traceable financial injury from the standards it’s challenging, it can refile with a much stronger case for standing. For now, though, the docket is closed, there’s no appeal filed as of this writing, and no other party has stepped in with a similar claim.

If you’re a pet owner wondering whether this affects your vet bills directly: it doesn’t, not yet. No compensation exists to seek, no class was ever proposed, and nothing about your current veterinary costs changes because of this ruling. If you believe you’ve been personally overcharged due to anticompetitive practices in veterinary care specifically (as opposed to accreditation policy), a consumer antitrust attorney can evaluate whether a separate claim like our coverage of the Lucky Strike Entertainment bowling monopoly lawsuit might be a closer fit for what you experienced.

Frequently Asked Questions — Lincoln Memorial University v. AVMA

Did the judge rule the AVMA’s accreditation system is legal? 

No. The dismissal was based on lack of standing — Lincoln Memorial hadn’t yet suffered a concrete enough injury — not a ruling that the AVMA’s practices comply with antitrust law.

Can pet owners join this lawsuit or file a claim?

 No. Lincoln Memorial never sought monetary damages, there was no proposed consumer class, and the case has been dismissed. There’s nothing to file a claim for.

What antitrust laws did Lincoln Memorial say the AVMA violated? 

The complaint invoked federal antitrust law under a monopolization theory, arguing the AVMA’s dual role as both a professional association and accreditor let it restrict competition in veterinary education.

Is the Justice Department still involved? 

The DOJ’s December 2025 statement of interest — arguing accreditation bodies are subject to antitrust scrutiny — remains on the record even though this specific case was dismissed.

Can Lincoln Memorial refile this lawsuit?

 Potentially, if the AVMA issues a final adverse accreditation decision or the university can show a concrete injury traceable to the challenged standards.

Does this affect how many veterinarians graduate each year? 

Not directly from this ruling. The underlying dispute over accreditation capacity and veterinary school supply remains unresolved.

Sources Used in This Article

• Official Court Docket — CourtListener/PACER, Lincoln Memorial University v. American Veterinary Medical Association, No. 3:25-cv-00282, U.S. District Court, E.D. Tennessee: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70571197/parties/lincoln-memorial-university-v-american-veterinary-medical-association/
• U.S. Department of Justice — Office of Public Affairs, “Justice Department Reaffirms Veterinary Accreditation Standards and Procedures Are Subject to Antitrust Scrutiny,” December 15, 2025: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reaffirms-veterinary-accreditation-standards-and-procedures-are-subject
• Reuters (via PYMNTS.com), original case-filing coverage, June 2025: https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/vet-school-sues-over-gatekeeping-standards-citing-antitrust-concerns/

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official court docket and U.S. Department of Justice records, as of September 3, 2026. Last Updated: September 3, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.