ADMINISTRATIVE LAW RESEARCH

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW RESEARCH
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS SERIES

Contents Introduction: The Role of Agencies Federal Register
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Federal Administrative (Agency) Decisions

Introduction: The Role of Agencies

Three Sources of the Law
Introduction Three Sources of the Law Legislative Judicial Executive President Cabinet Administrative Agencies are established by legislatures, agencies and are usually organized under the executive branch of government, often associated with a Cabinet position conduct legislative, executive, and judicial types of activities exist on both federal and state levels (We will use the federal system as the paradigm for state agencies.)

Examples of executive branch agencies: Environmental Protection Agency
Introduction Examples of executive branch agencies: Environmental Protection Agency Department of Transportation Federal Reserve Board Department of Agriculture United States Postal Service Department of Veterans’ Affairs Federal Aviation Administration Because of the scope of Congressional delegation of authority, each agency is unique in its structure, its personnel, and the nature of its regulations. Unless talking about a specific agency, administrative agencies’ regulations and decisions must be discussed in broad generalizations.

Independent Administrative Agencies: The Fourth Branch of Government?
Introduction Independent Administrative Agencies: The Fourth Branch of Government? There are also agencies that are created by Congress as part of the executive branch but are not under the direct control of the president. Many of these are independent regulatory commissions. The president appoints, but cannot remove commissioners except for causes specified under the enabling statute. These agencies are often called the “headless fourth branch” of government.

Examples of regulatory commissions are the Civil Aeronautics Board
Introduction Examples of regulatory commissions are the Civil Aeronautics Board Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Federal Trade Commission National Labor Relations Board Nuclear Regulatory Commission Securities and Exchange Commission Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Federal Communications Commission

An administrative agency may be called a
Introduction An administrative agency may be called a Board National Labor Relations Board Commission Federal Communications Commission Corporation Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Authority Tennessee Valley Authority Department Department of Transportation Administration Social Security Administration Agency Environmental Protection Agency

Role of Administrative Agencies
Introduction Role of Administrative Agencies Legislative: Granted rulemaking authority Congress delegates authority to promulgate regulations to administrative agencies Enact enabling statutes Establish the scope of agency authority Presidential Executive Order may also delegate authority to promulgate regulations to administrative agencies. Judicial: Congress may also grant power to hear and settle disputes arising from the regulation or the enabling statute. Executive: Congress may also grant power to investigate and prosecute violators of regulations.

Introduction Role of Administrative Agencies The Securities and Exchange Commission is an example of an agency with powers similar to those of all three branches of government Legislative: promulgates regulations governing what information must be given to investors. Judicial: conducts hearings to determine guilt and mete out punishment to violators of these regulations. Executive: enforces these regulations by prosecuting violators by disciplinary actions and stop orders.

Introduction Role of Administrative Agencies Outcomes of agency actions include: Rules or regulations (the two words are used interchangeably), which have the same effect as statutes Licenses, which include permits, certificates, other types of permission Advisory opinions, which are authoritative interpretations of statutes and regulation but are not binding Orders, which are the final disposition of any agency action, other than rulemaking Decisions, which adjudicate controversies arising out of the interpretation of statutes or regulations; they are issued in the same manner as court decisions

Comparison of the Roles of Statutes and Regulations
Introduction Comparison of the Roles of Statutes and Regulations STATUTES Passed by Congress Provide for broad social and economic goals and legal requirements Get their power from the Constitution Reviewed by courts for constitutionality Representative democracy- Congress acts to represent the will of the people REGULATIONS Issued by agencies Get their power from Congress Prescribe specific legal requirements to meet congressional goals Reviewed by courts to determine constitutionality, limits of delegated authority, and whether they are arbitrary and capricious Participatory democracy – agencies must seek and consider public comment

The Process of Promulgating Regulations (Rulemaking)
Introduction The Process of Promulgating Regulations (Rulemaking) The initiative behind promulgation of a new regulation or a change in a regulation can originate from many sources, including legislation that delegates authority congressional hearings and reports court orders Executive Orders and Office of Management and Budget Circulars agency acting on its own initiative emergency situations, technological developments, etc. political pressures Federal Advisory Committee recommendations petitions and informal requests from affected parties

Rulemaking Process Regulation is proposed
Introduction Rulemaking Process Regulation is proposed Office of Management and Budget reviews under Executive Order 12866 Proposed rule is published in the Federal Register Public comment is invited Office of Management and Budget re-reviews regulation Final regulation published in the Federal Register

Rulemaking Process Final regulation published in the Federal Register
Introduction Rulemaking Process Final regulation published in the Federal Register Responds to comment Amends Code of Federal Regulations Sets effective date 30-day minimum for most regulations 60-day minimum for major regulations No minimum for good cause Agency may delay or withdraw regulation before it becomes effective Agency submits regulation to Congress and Government Accounting Office, which can nullify the regulation Regulation is placed in Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Federal Register

Background Federal legislation in the 1930s began addressing numerous economic and social problems. Federal agencies were created to formulate the regulations that were to implement congressional intent. The public needed notice of the regulations that would help govern their lives as these new regulations went into effect. Courts began to rule that these “secret laws” were a violation of right of due process under the Constitution. A centralized filing and publication system was needed.

The Federal Register Act
The Federal Register Act was enacted July 26, 1935. The Federal Register Act is codified in Title 44, Chapter 15, of the United States Code Annotated®(USCA®). It provides for a daily Federal Register to publish executive agency regulations and notices and presidential documents. The act was amended in 1937 to create Code of Federal Regulations, which arranges the regulations by government agency.

Publication in the Federal Register
Provides official notice of a regulation’s existence, contents, and legal effect (constructive notice) Establishes the Federal Register text as true copy of original signed document Specifies the legal authority of the agency Gives regulations evidentiary status so they are admissible in court Shows how and why the Code of Federal Regulations will be amended

The Administrative Procedure Act
Federal Register The Administrative Procedure Act The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) was enacted June 11, 1946. The APA is codified in Title 5 of the USCA, sections 551, et seq. The APA provides that due process and public participation requirements must be met in the promulgation of a new regulation as published in the Federal Register.

The Administrative Procedure Act
Federal Register The Administrative Procedure Act Due process and public participation requirements Must give notice of proposed rule Must take public comments and respond in final rule Regulations cannot be enforced if not published in the Federal Register Regulations cannot be effective until 30 days after publication Must publish statements of the organization and procedure for whom to contact for comment in the agency Must state the legal basis and purpose of the regulation

Federal Register Published every week-day, except on federal holidays
All daily issues from a year constitute a single volume with consecutive pagination throughout the year A single issue contains about 300 pages Annual volumes of the Federal Register can exceed 60,000 pages Contents are required to be judicially noticed by 44 USCA 1507

In Each Issue of the Federal Register
Table of Contents CFR Parts Affected section Presidential Proclamations, Executive Orders, Reorganization Plans, and Administrative Orders Agency Final Rules, Proposed Rules and Notices. Sunshine Act Meeting notices Unified Agenda of Federal Regulations Reader Aids

Order of Material in Each Issue of the Federal Register
Presidential documents (Executive Orders, proclamations, and other documents) Rules and regulations (having legal effect) Proposed rules and regulations (text as well as regulatory agendas and notices of hearings) Notices (announcements of application deadlines or license revocations) Notices of Sunshine Act meetings

Presidential Documents Published in the Federal Register
Executive Orders must be published in the Federal Register Direct agencies to manage operations Numbered consecutively Reprinted annually in 3 CFR but not codified Proclamations must be published in the Federal Register Ceremonial proclamations that recognize special occasions Substantive proclamations that relate to international trade, export controls, tariffs, or reservation of federal lands Administrative Orders and miscellaneous documents’ publication is optional

Table of Contents Federal Register Federal Aviation Administration
Flightcrew compartment The Table of Contents is arranged by agency name. The Table of Contents lists regulations (rules), proposed regulations (rules), and notices.

CFR Parts Affected in This Issue
Federal Register CFR Parts Affected in This Issue CFR Parts Affected in This Issue lists document in numerical order by CFR title and part Appears at the front of each print issue after the Table of Contents Indicates whether documents affecting CFR parts are regulations or proposed regulations Cites the page numbers where relevant documents begin p.2112

p. 2112 14 CFR Part 121 Action & Summary (f) USCA Authority The Final Rule (regulation) as published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2002, and amending, among other regulations, 14 CRR

Reader Aids Federal Register
Reader Aids section is located at the back of each daily Federal Register print issue. Contains information on recent regulatory activity and new laws Includes CFR parts affected during the current month Reminders of regulations going into effect on the current day and comments due next week List of recently enacted public laws CFR customer service numbers and addresses Reader Aids 14 CFR 121

Finding Documents in Past Federal Register Issues; Indexes
Federal Register Index issued quarterly annual cumulative issue Central Index System (CIS) Federal Register Index Use the Federal Register indexes to find regulations that were issued after the date of the most recent volume of the Code of Federal Regulations for that agency Daily Federal Register Index to CFR Parts Affected during the current month

Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Register Print Index Pages This is the cumulative annual Federal Register Index for 2001 There were 67,702 pages published in daily Federal Register issues in 2001. There are many Federal Aviation Agency actions listed in this index, but the final regulation published on January 15, 2002, concerning flightcrew compartment doors will be in the 2002 issues of the index. Federal Aviation Administration

Finding Documents in Past Federal Register Issues LSA
LSA (List of CFR Sections Affected) Printed each month Keyed to CFR parts and sections Online at Title 14

Federal Register Action and Summary USCA Authority (f) Final Rule as published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2002, and amending, among other regulations, 14 CFR

Finding Documents in the Federal Register Database (FR) on Westlaw
Use a Find request when you know issue and page number of a Federal Register document Westlaw searches in the FR database Natural Language searching works well. Use Terms and Connectors field searches when you need to retrieve a specific document(s) or have specific criteria as to agency and nature of document. Federal Register issues go online the same day that they appear in print. Westlaw coverage in FR begins with July, 1980.

Other Tips for Searching the Federal Register (FR) Database on Westlaw
Useful Fields The prelim field (PR) contains the type of document, the issuing agency and any sub-agency, docket numbers, affected portions of the CFR, and other preliminary materials The caption field (CA) contains the subject matter of the document The summary field (SU) contains a summary of the document, if available The image field (IM) is a browsable field that shows which images are available for offline printing

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Code of Federal Regulations
CFR Code of Federal Regulations The regulations first published in the Federal Register on a daily basis are then codified in the Code of Federal Regulations. The regulations that are published chronologically in the Federal Register are codified and arranged by title, then by chapter (one agency’s regulations) and finally by subject in the CFR. The CFR is divided into 50 titles, just like the USCA Some titles covering the same subjects are numbered the same in the CFR and in the USCA; others are not. Each title is divided into chapters, subchapters, parts, and sections. A regulation is cited by title, part, and section, e.g.,14 CFR (Title 14, Part 121, Section 313).

CFR The soft-cover volumes of the CFR are issued each year in sets on a staggered, quarterly basis: Titles 1– 6 are current through January 1 Titles 17 – 27 are current through April 1 Titles 29 – 41 are current through July 1 Titles 42 – 50 are current through October 1 Each new set contains the text of all regulations in force as of the current through date. New regulations are merged with, and revoked regulations are deleted from, the previous set of regulations. The color of each set of volumes is changed every year; a current full set may contain different colored volumes, depending on the time of the year. Title 3, which contains Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders, is always white.

Research Tools in Each Volume of the CFR
Table of Contents listing all material within the book: titles, subtitles, chapters, subchapter(s), parts, and sections Subtitles are referenced to page numbers Material Approved for Incorporation by Reference ,which is regulatory material not published in the Federal Register or CFR Has force of law as if it were published in the Federal Register and CFR Mostly technical standards, state law, and regulations Table of CFR Titles and Chapters Redesignation Tables to help trace new location of parts and sections of a regulation List of CFR Sections Affected in the volume

Table of Contents CFR At the beginning of each print issue
Documents are listed by agencies in alphabetical order Cross-referenced from Cabinet departments to subordinate agencies Each agency document is arranged by category Rules Proposed Rules Notices Presidential documents are arranged as follows: Executive Orders Proclamations Determinations/Memoranda

Table of Contents Title 14 Chapter 1 Parts 60-139
CFR Table of Contents Title 14 Chapter 1 Parts Subchapter D Part 121 CFR titles are broken down by Chapter, Subchapter, and Part. Immediately preceding each part is a Table of Contents for the individual regulations contained within that part.

Title 14 Parts 60-139 CFR Paragraph f Regulation 121.313
Paragraph (f) discusses requirements for the door to the flight-crew compartment.

Material Approved for Incorporation by Reference Title 14 Parts 60-139
CFR Material Approved for Incorporation by Reference Title 14 Parts Material Approved for Incorporation by Reference is regulatory material not published in the Federal Register or CFR Has force of law as if were published in the Federal Register and CFR Mostly technical standards, state law, and regulations

Table of CFR Titles and Chapters
Parts Redesignation Table Table of CFR Titles and Chapters Table of CFR Titles and Chapters Redesignation Tables to help trace new location of parts and sections of a regulation

List of CFR Sections Affected
Title 14 Parts List of CFR Sections Affected List of CFR Sections Affected in each volume indicates the type of change that was made.

Access to the CFR: Index and Finding Aids
CFR Index and Finding Aids is single volume Revised annually Index with subject entries and agency names in one listing Since 1980, a thesaurus has assured that all agencies use the same terminology for subject headings Parallel Table of Authorities and Rules List of Agency-Prepared Indexes Appearing in Individual CFR Volumes

Index and Finding Aids Volume Index CFR Index 14 CFR 121
Subject entries and agency names are in one listing Access by subject or agency References CFR title and part numbers, not individual regulations

List of Agency-Prepared Indexes Appearing in Individual CFR Volumes
CFR Index Index and Finding Aids Volume List of Agency-Prepared Indexes Appearing in Individual CFR Volumes USCA Authorities The List of Agency-Prepared Indexes provides information on how to locate agency indexes in various CFR volumes. The Parallel Table of Authorities shows where regulations promulgated under statute or Executive Order have been placed in the CFR.

List of CFR Titles, Chapters, Subchapters, and Parts
CFR Index Index and Finding Aids Volume 14 CFR 121 List of CFR Titles, Chapters, Subchapters, and Parts The list of CFR Titles, Chapters, Subchapters, and Parts provides an outline of the CFR organization.

Alphabetical List of Agencies
CFR Index Index and Finding Aids Volume Alphabetical List of Agencies Appearing in the CFR The Alphabetical List of Agencies Appearing in the CFR is another means of accessing the regulations.

Updating Regulations in Print
CFR Updating Regulations in Print LSA: List of CFR Sections Affected Issued monthly Indicates final and proposed changes made since the last publication of the CFR set CFR Parts Affected In each volume of the Code of Federal Regulations Incorporated in the cumulative list in the Reader Aids section CFR Parts Affected in this Issue In each daily issue of the Federal Register

The Code of Federal Regulations Database (CFR) on Westlaw
The CFR database includes all 50 titles. The database incorporates all but the most recent changes to the Code of Federal Regulations. There is an approximately two-week lag between publication of the Final Rule in the Federal Register and incorporation into the CFR database. Historical CFR databases date back to 1984.

The CFR on Westlaw Useful fields
The prelim field (PR) contains the CFR title and other headings that precede the caption The caption field (CA) contains the CFR section number and heading The notes field (NO) contains editorial and effective date notes The credit field (CR) contains USCA authority and Federal Register source notes

Federal Administrative (Agency) Decisions

Decisions of Administrative Bodies
Administrative Decisions Decisions of Administrative Bodies Decisions of agencies can broadly be classified as: Advisory opinions not binding authoritative interpretations of statutes and regulations that indicate agency policy and expectations Informal Adjudications governed by special statutory requirements or agency’s own regulations due process concerns apply discretionary generally not reviewable by a court conducted by presiding officers and not by independent Administrative Law Judges (ALJ)

Formal Agency Decisions
Formal Adjudications: Quasi-judicial decisions reported much as case law is usually delivered in written format the role of the court is often performed by an independent Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) or agency commissioner(s). proceedings are usually fact-finding inquiries into how regulations apply to a particular situation agencies are not strictly bound by prior decisions but the decisions have precedential value so attorneys who practice before an agency can use the decisions as an important primary source of the law. adjudicate disputes arising out of the interpretation or violation of enabling statutes or regulations

Formal Decisions Publication of Decisions
Administrative Decisions Formal Decisions Publication of Decisions Official versions are available in most law and university libraries that are official depositories of the U.S. Government Printing Office Usually issued first as a slip opinion or advance sheet Many agencies eventually bind their decisions in permanently numbered volumes Some agencies publish only in pamphlet format, or only on microfiche In any format, most decisions have some sort of finding aids, such as an index, table of cases, or tables of statutes or regulations cited

Formal Decisions Administrative Decisions Publication of decisions
Unofficial versions are reproduced in looseleaf services, sometimes with sequentially numbered bound volumes. Unofficial versions tend to be far more current and better indexed than the official decisions. Unofficial versions are also placed on Westlaw. Westlaw contains the decisions of many federal and state agencies, including; Federal Communications Commission, Federal Labor and Employment Commission, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Internal Revenue Service, Interstate Commerce Commission, National Mediation Board, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Maritime Commission, Department of the Interior, Attorney General, and Department of Agriculture.

Administrative Decisions
Unofficial decisions of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as published by CCH

Finding an Agency Decision
Administrative Decisions Finding an Agency Decision Each agency has its own method of indexing decisions so few generalizations can be made. Official versions are usually more poorly indexed and slower to be indexed than unofficial versions Individual volumes may have finding aids, such as a table of contents, a table of cases reported, a list of opinions/decisions/orders, an index by type of action, a topical index, or an index-digest. Some sets of decisions may have finding aids, such as an index or digest for the set. Secondary sources, such as the American Law Reports or law review articles, often discuss agency decisions in the context of discussing a court case or a statute.

Finding an Agency Decision on Westlaw
Administrative Decisions Finding an Agency Decision on Westlaw Westlaw is probably the fastest way for an attorney who does not regularly practice before a particular agency to find a decision or decisions that discuss a particular topic.

KeyCite for Regulations
KeyCite lists federal administrative decisions that have been cited in court cases Click the Citing References link. Click the Limit KeyCite Display button at bottom of screen. Deselect all but Administrative Decisions check box. Click Apply.

Updating an Agency Decision
Administrative Decisions Updating an Agency Decision Precedent might not have as strong a role in updating an administrative decision as it would in case law but you still need to know Whether judicial review has overturned an agency decision Whether later agency decisions have disapproved of the decision The agency’s position on a particular issue

A Partial List of Agencies Whose Decisions Can be Updated in KeyCite
Administrative Decisions A Partial List of Agencies Whose Decisions Can be Updated in KeyCite Federal Government Contracts Board Federal Securities and Exchange Commission Internal Revenue Service (rulings and memoranda) National Labor Relations Board Office of Comptroller General Patent Office Public Utility Reports Tax Court Board of Immigration Appeals Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Environmental Protection Agency Federal Commerce Commission Federal Communications Commission Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Updating Using Westlaw as a Citator
Administrative Decisions Updating Using Westlaw as a Citator Access a database containing case law, administrative law, analytical materials, or any other type of material that might contain a discussion of the administrative decision. Devise a Terms and Connectors search that will include some of the essential items in the citation of the decision within a few words or the same sentence of the party or agency name. Database: FENV-EPA Query: “asbestos removal” /s e.a.d.

Judicial Review of Agency Decisions
Once an Administrative Law Judge has issued a decision, that decision can usually be appealed to a higher entity within the agency. Those appealing an agency decision must usually exhaust agency remedies before moving the action to a federal court. The final agency decision can usually be appealed to a federal court of appeals if Congress has provided an appeals process to the federal district court if no provision for appeal has been specified

Judicial Review of Agency Decisions
Administrative Decisions Judicial Review of Agency Decisions The appeal of these decisions can be found in the Supreme Court Reporter®, the Federal Reporter®, and the Federal Supplement® in print and in the corresponding databases on Westlaw: Supreme Court cases are in the SCT database Federal Reporter cases are in the CTA database Federal Supplement cases are in the DCT database Summaries of these cases can be found in West’s Federal Practice Digests®, and the United States Supreme Court Digest® SCT-HN, CTA-HN, and DCT-HN are the corresponding databases on Westlaw.

Judicial Review of Administrative Decisions: Common Issues
Constitutionality Agency acted outside the scope of delegated authority Procedural due process violations Arbitrary and capricious decision Abuse of agency discretion Separation of powers When original jurisdiction can be granted to the United States District Court Interpretation of the language of the enabling statute or regulation

When Federal District Court has Original Jurisdiction over Agency Matter
When an agency is the plaintiff (See 28 USCA 1345) When there is a federal question (See 28 USCA 1331) When there is a mandamus action to compel an agency to perform a duty owed to plaintiff When there is a specific statute authorizing original jurisdiction in the federal district court Some examples of matters of original jurisdiction for the district court What constitutes an interpretive rule Agency compliance with Sunshine Act Exhaustion of remedies under Privacy Act What constitutes agency “action”, “order,” decision,” final order,” or “final decision” within meaning of statute authorizing judicial review

We hope that you have found this lesson helpful.
Thank You… We hope that you have found this lesson helpful. If you have more Westlaw education or training needs, please contact your Academic Account Manager or call the Reference Attorneys at WESTLAW. If you have feedback on the Instructional Aids Series, please contact Erin Jensen.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW RESEARCH

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