Administrative law

Administrative law (also called regulatory law) covers a wide range of procedures by administrative agencies. These agencies include city, county, state or federal government bodies. They may be called commissions, departments, divisions or boards.

Each may have its own rules and regulations which are usually not found in statutes. These are based on laws passed by a government. Agencies also have the power to enforce these rules and regulations.

United States

Congress or state legislatures pass laws, sometimes on complicated issues. The details of how these laws are to be enforced is left to administrative agencies. For example, a government agency, the Social Security Administration (SSA) was created August 14, 1935 by an act of Congress. They were given the authority to administer Social Security benefits and disability laws. They have passed a body of rules and regulations that determine how benefits will be handled.

European Union

The rules created by the European Union are carried out by an ad hoc collection of agencies. These rules may be for a particular treaty or for things such as trade policy. These agencies evolve on a policy-by-policy basis.

Administrative Law Media

• 

  President Fernando Henrique Cardoso in 1999

• 

  The French Enlightenment political philosopher Montesquieu

• 

  The Stenbockska Palace is the former seat of the Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden.

• 

  American administrative law often involves the regulatory activities of so-called "independent agencies", such as the Federal Trade Commission, whose headquarters is shown above.