What Is Administrative Law?

Administrative Law covers a wide and varied area of practice, encompassing many different types of governmental legal procedures and regulations, and is not easily defined. Much of government and its public programs operate largely through various agencies on different levels: federal, state, county, and city. These agencies are also known as boards, commissions, departments, and divisions.

They generally have their own specific rules and regulations, which are not usually found in the statutes, with stringent procedures individuals must follow to obtain assistance from the agency and to file claims, grievances and appeals. Legal rulings by Administrative Law Judges (ALJ's) have governing authority the same as most precedent law. Administrative law attorneys can offer assistance when maneuvering through these complicated proceedings.

The Administrative Procedure Act is the governing law for federal administrative agencies. Most states also have their own governing law for their state administrative agencies. These laws allow for the creation of the rules and regulations, as well as the procedures necessary for those unhappy with the agencies or their decisions to seek remedies via appeal or complaint. They are carried out with the same authority as the more well-known statutory laws, and so, as with other areas of law, the skills of an experienced administrative law attorney are often required.

The public's need for a professional in the administrative law practice area generally exists when dealing with governmental agencies that provide some type of specific public benefit or aid to individuals, and particularly when the benefit might be or has been terminated, limited or outright denied. Examples of these administrative bodies include some of the following: Social Security Administrations; Employment/Labor Boards; Unemployment Insurance Agencies; Workers' Compensation Boards; Licensing Agencies; Equal Opportunity Commissions (EEOC); and Zoning Boards.

When an individual wants to appeal an administrative law decision or determination, he must exhaust all of the options provided by the agency first, before he may proceed to a non-administrative court. For example, she would usually need to file an appeal and participate in an administrative hearing presided over by an ALJ as a first step, if she disagrees with a decision to deny, terminate or limit her benefits. Once an order is handed down, either side may appeal if it is an unsatisfactory outcome. Some agencies provide for another level within the department, while others allow the appellant to then appeal to a court outside of the agency. Even in these instances, a professional in the administrative law field is usually a necessity.

Administrative Law Articles