Introduction to Administrative Law
Administrative Law is very similar to Constitutional Law, as it focuses on the rule-making authority of government officials. It is a branch of public law and its subject matter is the law governing the implementation of public programs, which are governed by statutes which have been enacted by either Parliament or legislature, depending on the level of government with constitutional competence in the area. Areas such as employment, regulated industries, economic activities, professions and trades, human rights and income support are examples of issues that form a basis for administrative plans. The major institutions which deal with administrative law are legislatures, cabinet and ministers, municipalities, Crown Corporations, private bodies, and independent administrative agencies. ... Independent administrative agencies came more so into existence after the Second World War with the expanding of responsibilities undertaken by the government. ... Fourthly, all administrative agencies are specialized and deliver a particular public program or a part of one, and include labour relations boards, agricultural marketing boards, etc. Some work with one statute only while others obtain their jurisdiction from several while courts of law decide cases across a wider range of criminal and civil law. ... Independent agencies have certain advantages over government departments as makers of administrative decisions. ... An independent agency may be preferred over a court to resolve disputes since many of the nature of the decisions made by the agencies are inappropriate for the courts, and it may be more desirable that a decision be made by someone other than a judge as experience in areas other than law may be required. ... Administrative remedies deal with the legal remedies available to a person who has been affected by an administrative decision. Administrative agencies have internal means for dealing with grievances, wither it be speaking with someone internally or complaining to an outside body who is independent of the decision-maker. ... Administrative appeal tribunals are usually able to reconsider the whole case after hearing from the parties and change the decision to one that they feel should have been made.