Definition

Noun: 1. The body of rules, regulations, orders, and decisions created by administrative agencies of government: This is the law that governs the activities and procedures of government agencies. It includes the rules these agencies make, the decisions they reach in cases, and the legal principles that apply to their operations.

Usage

Administrative law is a distinct field of public law. It is concerned with how government agencies exercise their delegated powers, including rulemaking, adjudication, and enforcement. It also involves the legal checks on those powers, such as judicial review.

Examples

• The Environmental Protection Agency's regulations on air quality are a key part of administrative law.
• A lawyer specializing in administrative law helped the business appeal the licensing decision made by the state commission.
• The court's review of whether the agency followed proper procedure is a classic question of administrative law.

Advanced Usage

• "Sources of administrative law": These typically include statutes (enabling acts that create agencies), agency-made regulations, executive orders, and court decisions that review agency actions.
• "Administrative law judge (ALJ)": A specialized official who presides over hearings within an administrative agency, such as for disability claims or regulatory violations.

Variants and Related Words

• Administrative agency (n): A government body authorized to implement legislative directives by developing more precise and technical rules.
• Regulation (n): A rule or order issued by an executive authority or regulatory agency of a government, having the force of law.
• Adjudication (n): The legal process by which an administrative agency issues an order, similar to a court judgment.

Synonyms

• Regulatory law
• Agency law

Related Concepts

• Due process: The constitutional guarantee that legal proceedings will be fair and that one will be given notice and an opportunity to be heard before the government deprives them of life, liberty, or property. A core concern in administrative law.
• Judicial review: The power of courts to review the actions of executive and administrative agencies to ensure they are lawful.
• Rulemaking: The process used by administrative agencies to create, amend, or repeal regulations.

Noun

1. the body of rules and regulations and orders and decisions created by administrative agencies of government