The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Friday that the US Postal Service (USPS) failed to justify a 10 percent increase in the price of the “Forever Stamp.”

The three-judge panel ruled Friday that the postal service did not give a convincing argument for its decision to increase the price of the stamp from 50 to 55 cents. The plaintiff in the case was Douglas Carlson, a non-practicing lawyer who questioned the legality of the price increase. In a 30-page opinion written by Judge Neomi Rao, the court stated that, “By failing to consider relevant statutory objectives and factors and declining to respond to significant public comments, the (Postal Regulatory) Commission violated the APA when it approved the stamp price hike.”

The appeals court concluded that although the 10 percent increase in the stamp’s price may seem minor, the country was partially founded upon an objection to taxation through the use of stamps.

The result of the ruling is unclear, and the USPS is currently exploring its legal options.