Administrative Law: What Is It About

Are you familiar with administrative law? I’m sure the reason why you are reading this is because you are looking for the definition and meaning of administrative law. In a very simple way, administrative law is known to be the body of law that governs the activities of administrative agencies of the government. It also covers a wide and varied area of practice, encompassing many different types of governmental legal procedures and regulations. Administrative law is not easily defined, and much of the government and its public programs operate largely through various agencies on different levels which include the following: federal, state, county, and city. The other names that these agencies are known for are boards, commission, departments, and divisions. When we talk about government agency, this can include rulemaking, adjunction, or the enforcement of a specific regulatory agenda. Administrative law is also known or considered to be a branch of public law. Administrative law, as a body of law is the one who deals with the decision making of administrative units of the government like for example; tribunals, boards or commissions, that are part of a national regulatory scheme in such areas as police law, manufacturing, international trade, taxation, environment, immigration, transport, and broadcasting. During the twentieth century, administrative law expanded greatly as legislative bodies worldwide creating more government agencies to regulate the increasingly complex social, economic and political spheres of human interaction.

The administrative laws in general have their own specific rules and regulations with stringent procedures individuals must follow which are not usually found in the statutes, for them to obtain assistance from the agency and to file claims, grievances and appeals. There are also administrative law attorneys that can offer assistance to people who need help especially in maneuvering through these complicated proceedings. For federal administrative agencies, there is the Administrative Procedure Act as the governing law. In other states, they also have their own governing law for their states administrative agencies. The good thing about having a law is it allows the creation of the rules and regulations, on top of that, the procedures necessary for those unhappy with the agencies or their decisions to seek remedies via appeal or complaint. When dealing with government agencies that provide some type of specific public benefit or aid to individuals, the public’s need for a professional in the administrative law practice are generally exists, and particularly when the benefit might be or has been terminated, limited or outright denied. If you want to know what are these administrative bodies here are some of the examples: Social Security Administrations; Employment/Labor Boards; Unemployment Insurance Agencies; Worker’s Compensation Boards; Licensing Agencies; Equal Opportunity Commissions; and Zoning Boards.

An individual who wants to appeal in an administrative law decision or determination should or must exhaust all of the options provided by the agency first, before that individual may proceed to a non-administrative court. Like for instance, if an individual wants or needs to file an appeal and participate in an administrative hearing presided over by an ALJ as a first step, then that individual disagrees with a decision to deny, terminate or limit her benefits. After that, once the order is already handed down to that individual, either side may appeal if it is an unsatisfactory outcome. However, other agencies provide another level within the department, while on the other hand others allow the appellant to then appeal to a court outside of the agency. But even in these instances, you will still need the help of the professional in the administrative law field to help you out. So, if you want to know more about administrative law, try to consult an administrative law attorney.