Understanding administrative law: An essential skillset for public sector management

Developing a comprehensive understanding of how administrative law shapes public management is an essential professional skillset for American civil servants. This chapter explores the origins of administrative law and the importance of agency rules to the public policy process. It also underscores how the Administrative Procedure Act established the three functional components of administrative law for federal administrative agencies: rulemaking, adjudication, and judicial review. U.S. Supreme Courts illustrate how the judiciary works to ensure that when agencies apply administrative law procedures they do so within the boundaries of the Constitution and the rule of law.