Administrative Law Timeline
Administrative Procedure Act (APA, 1946)
- Established uniform procedures for agency rulemaking, adjudication, and judicial review. - Codified due process protections in administrative law. - Required notice-and-comment rulemaking and set standards for judicial review. ---
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA, 1966)
- Created the public’s right to access federal agency records. - Requires agencies to proactively disclose certain information. - Central tool for transparency and accountability in government. ---
Why It Matters Today
These laws: - Ensure federal agencies operate under the rule of law. - Provide transparency and public participation in regulation. - Serve as the foundation for ongoing debates about the scope of the administrative state and judicial doctrines like Chevron deference. ---
Official Sources
- [5 U.S.C. §§ 551–559, 701–706 – APA](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title5/part1/chapter5&edition=prelim) - [5 U.S.C. § 552 – FOIA](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:5%20section:552%20edition:prelim)) - [Congress.gov – APA 1946](https://www.congress.gov/bill/79th