Administrative Adjudication
A process in which a government agency applies existing laws or regulations to a particular dispute, application, or set of facts.
Courts and ProcedureAdministrative Agency
A federal or state government body authorized to administer laws, issue regulations, conduct investigations, and make certain decisions.
Courts and ProcedureAdministrative Law Judge
An official who conducts hearings and issues decisions in certain administrative proceedings.
Legal TermsALJ
Administrative Law Judge. An official who conducts hearings and issues decisions in certain administrative proceedings.
AcronymsAppellate Court
A court that reviews decisions made by a lower court. Appellate courts generally decide questions of law rather than retrying factual disputes.
Courts and ProcedureBinding Authority
Legal authority that a court must follow, such as a controlling statute or a decision from a higher court in the same jurisdiction.
Legal Research and WritingBluebook
A widely used system of legal citation in the United States. It provides rules for citing cases, statutes, regulations, books, articles, and other legal sources.
Legal Research and WritingCase Brief
A structured summary of a judicial opinion. A case brief commonly identifies the facts, procedural history, issue, rule, holding, reasoning, disposition, and relevant policy considerations.
Legal Research and WritingCase Law
Law developed through written judicial decisions.
Courts and ProcedureCFR
Code of Federal Regulations. The organized collection of regulations issued by federal administrative agencies.
AcronymsCitation
A reference that identifies the legal or scholarly source supporting a statement. A citation helps readers locate and verify the source.
Legal Research and WritingCode of Federal Regulations
The organized collection of regulations issued by federal administrative agencies.
Courts and ProcedureCommon Law
Legal principles developed through judicial decisions rather than enacted directly through statutes or regulations.
Legal TermsConcurring Opinion
An opinion written by a judge who agrees with the court’s result but reaches that result through different reasoning.
Courts and ProcedureConstitution
The fundamental law that establishes the structure and powers of a government and protects certain rights.
Courts and ProcedureCourt of Appeals
An appellate court that reviews decisions from lower courts. The name and level of a court of appeals may vary by jurisdiction.
Courts and ProcedureDicta
Statements in a judicial opinion that are not necessary to the court’s decision. Dicta may be persuasive but generally do not have binding precedential effect.
Courts and ProcedureDisposition
The court’s final action in a case, such as affirming, reversing, remanding, dismissing, or granting relief.
Courts and ProcedureDissenting Opinion
An opinion written by a judge who disagrees with the court’s majority decision.
Courts and ProcedureDue Process
The constitutional principle that government must use fair procedures before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property.
Courts and ProcedureFederalism
The division and sharing of governmental authority between the federal government and the states.
Courts and ProcedureForeseeability
The legal concept that a person should reasonably anticipate that certain conduct may create a risk of harm to others. Foreseeability is often used to determine whether a legal duty exists and whether the resulting…
Legal TermsHolding
The court’s answer to the legal issue necessary to decide the case.
Courts and ProcedureIRAC
Issue, Rule, Application, and Conclusion. A common structure for organizing legal analysis.
AcronymsIssue
The legal question the court must resolve.
Courts and ProcedureJurisdiction
The legal authority of a court or agency to hear a matter and make a binding decision.
Courts and ProcedureMajority Opinion
The opinion that represents the reasoning and decision supported by a majority of the judges participating in the case.
Courts and ProcedureNegligence
A common-law doctrine under which a person may be held liable for harm caused by a failure to exercise reasonable care.
Legal TermsNotice and Comment Rulemaking
A process in which an administrative agency publishes a proposed regulation, allows the public to submit comments, and then issues a final rule.
Courts and ProcedurePersuasive Authority
Legal authority that a court may consider but is not required to follow. Examples may include decisions from other jurisdictions, law review articles, and treatises.
Courts and ProcedurePrecedent
A prior judicial decision used to guide the resolution of a later case involving similar legal issues or facts.
Courts and ProcedurePrimary Authority
The actual law, including constitutions, statutes, regulations, and judicial opinions.
Courts and ProcedurePrivity
A direct legal or contractual relationship between parties that may affect whether one party owes the other a legal duty or may bring a claim.
Legal TermsProcedural History
A summary of what happened in a case before it reached the court issuing the current opinion.
Courts and ProcedureRegulation
A rule issued by an administrative agency under authority delegated by a legislature.
Courts and ProcedureRemand
An appellate court’s decision to send a case back to a lower court or agency for further proceedings.
Courts and ProcedureRule of Law
The legal principle applied by a court to resolve an issue.
Courts and ProcedureSecondary Authority
Material that explains, analyzes, or comments on the law but is not itself law. Examples include legal treatises, law review articles, news reports, and educational websites.
Courts and ProcedureStare Decisis
The doctrine that courts should follow applicable precedent unless there is a strong reason to depart from it.
Courts and ProcedureStatute
A written law enacted by a legislature.
Courts and ProcedureSupremacy Clause
The constitutional principle that valid federal law controls when it conflicts with state law.
Courts and ProcedureSupreme Court of the United States
The highest court in the federal judicial system.
Courts and ProcedureTrial Court
A court where cases ordinarily begin and where evidence is presented, witnesses may testify, and factual disputes are resolved.
Courts and ProcedureUnited States Code
The organized collection of federal statutes.
Courts and ProcedureUSC
United States Code. The organized collection of federal statutes.
AcronymsUSSC or SCOTUS
Supreme Court of the United States. The highest court in the federal judicial system.
Courts and Procedure