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Introduction to Administrative Law

Explore the realm of Administrative Law, covering the formation, rulemaking, and judicial review of agencies, alongside historical influences like the Colonial Period and Constitutional Allocation of Powers.

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Introduction to Administrative Law

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  1. Introduction to Administrative Law Spring 2014

  2. What does Administrative Law Deal With? • The formation, staffing, and funding of agencies. • Rulemaking (legislation) by agencies • Adjudications (trials) by agencies • Judicial review of agency action • Access to private information by agencies • Public access to agency information • Agency liability

  3. History of Administrative Law

  4. The Administration of Government • Moving beyond feudalism, all governments are divided into functional units that behave as agencies • Administrative law deals with agencies in the executive branch of the federal government • State administrative law is more complex because states have multiple executives and less separation of powers.

  5. The Colonial Period • Colonial governments had agencies that were either controlled by the king or by local governments • Boards of health • Major cities were more powerful entities than most states • To this day, old cities have varying degrees of special legal status • Much of the regulatory state was urban

  6. Articles of Confederation • After independence, but before the Constitution, the states were independent sovereigns • All agency action was state and local • The Articles did not provide for a central government with binding powers • This did not work very well and almost cost us the revolutionary war

  7. The Constitutional Allocation of Powers • The Constitution provided for a national executive, legislature, and courts with binding powers over the states • The states were left all powers not allocated to the federal government • Police powers (most traditional state and local regulation) • The delegation was flexible, not enumerated

  8. Administrative Law in the Constitution • The Constitution did not contemplate a large federal government • The Constitution established the framework for separation of powers and basic functions of the government, but is largely silent on the law of agencies • This was not important at the time because day to day government was run by states and cities • Original intent analysis does not work in adlaw

  9. Administrative Law in the States until the New Deal • The states and cities had extensive regulatory laws and agencies • While some see this period as one of limited regulation, that is only true at the federal level • Most administrative law (most government) is still carried out at the state level • Most federal regulatory programs are shared federalism • Environmental law • Medicaid

  10. The Great Depression • While there was federal regulation before the 1930s, the modern regulatory state began with the Great Depression. • Federal agencies were formed to provide jobs • WPA • Agencies were formed or strengthened to regulate business • FDIC, SEC • This lead to the constitutional fight over the delegation doctrine.

  11. World War II • The role of the federal government was greatly expanded to fight World War II • The military did not disband after WW II because we went into the Cold War • The federal government also did not disband, beginning the modern regulatory state • Modern Supreme Court admistrative law jurisprudence starts in the 1960s

  12. Organization of the Government

  13. Legislative Branch • Is there a head of Congress? • How much control do the heads exercise? • What Does Congress Do?

  14. Judicial Branch • Is there a head of the courts? • How much control does the head exercise? • What do the Courts do?

  15. Executive Branch • Who heads the executive branch? • What is the domestic role of the executive branch? • How is this different in Louisiana?

  16. The Creation of Agencies • Since the Constitution is mostly silent on agencies, federal agency powers are rooted in statutes • Congress delegates power to the agency and provides the money to run the agency. • Congress can abolish agencies, change their powers, and fund or defund them, subject only to presidential veto power. • Congress cut off money to move Guantanamo prisoners to US prisons • Congress ultimately holds the power in government • Congress has political trouble using the power

  17. Separation of Powers • Enforcement agencies such as the EPA must be in the executive branch • Agencies that do not do enforcement may be in any branch • Executive branch agencies are under the control of the President through the appointments process, as laid out in the Constitution • The president has more attenuated control of independent agencies

  18. Agency Practice

  19. The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) • The Administrative Procedure Act provides the general framework for the interaction of between the agency, regulated parties, and the general public. • http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/Courses/study_aids/adlaw/index.htm • The APA is secondary to the statutes that establish an agency. • The APA only controls when the enabling act is silent.

  20. Rulemaking • Congress can give agencies the power to make rules that have the same legal effect as statutes. • The public is given a chance to see and comment on these rules before they become final. • Proposed rules are published in the Federal Register • Final rules are codified in the Code of Federal Regulations. • Rulemaking is important because most statutes passed by Congress do not contain sufficient detail to be enforced without additional agency rulemaking. • The public can petition the agency to make a rule.

  21. Adjudications • Congress can give agencies the power to make factual determinations and issue orders • This determination of facts and enforcement in individual cases involving specific named parties is called an adjudication • These can look like trials, complete with independent judges and rules of evidence • They can also be as informal as inspecting a restaurant or impounding a bad dog

  22. The Collection of Data by Agencies • What types of data does the government collect? • IRS? - NSA?- HHS? • Reporting duties • Administrative subpoenas • Administrative searches • Not based on probable cause • No exclusionary rule • Little expectation of privacy unless provided for by a federal law or common law privilege.

  23. Access to Agency Information • Freedom of Information Act • What is available? • When can the government withhold information? • What is the standard for judicial review? • The Privacy Act • Open Meeting Act

  24. The Role of the Courts • Is the enabling law constitutional? • Are the regulations consistent with the enabling law and properly promulgated? • Did the agency act in an arbitrary and capricious manner in an adjudication? • Did the agency violate an individual’s constitutional rights?

  25. Judicial Deference to the Agency • Biggest difference from private and criminal law: The courts generally defer to the agency. • Chevron Deference • Does the statute clearly prohibit or allow what the agency wants? • If the statute is ambiguous, the court allows the agency to act it is reasonable. • Skidmore/Barnhart • The agency is only persuasive

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