Finding Federal Regulations and Administrative Decisions

Over 50 federal agencies perform regulatory functions. Most aspects of everyday life are regulated by federal agencies, including the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the air we breathe. The body of law created by federal agencies is called administrative law. Administrative law covers the rules, regulations, and decisions of federal, state, and municipal agencies. This article discusses how to find proposed and final federal regulations, as well as how to locate the administrative orders or decisions of various federal agencies.

Federal Court of Appeals Judges

The federal court system has an intermediate level appellate court, which is called the court of appeals. The President of the United States appoints all federal judges, including federal court of appeals judges. However, the United States Senate has to confirm each appointment. Federal judges are appointed for life.

Independence of the Judiciary

An independent judiciary is a fundamental principle of our democracy. The founding fathers assured the independence of federal judges by giving them tenure for life. The United States Constitution also prevents the reduction of a federal judge's salary while he/she is in office. The founding fathers also specified that federal judges could only be impeached and removed from office for committing treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Expert Witnesses in Civil Lawsuits

An expert witness is a witness who has knowledge of a technical subject. Because of his or her education, training or experience, an expert witness's testimony will aid the trier of fact in finding the truth in a lawsuit.

Probate Courts

A probate court is a specialized court that handles the probate of wills, administers the estate (property) of a deceased person, appoints guardians for minors and incapacitated adults, and orders the involuntary hospitalization of persons in need of medical treatment. In some states, the probate court also deals with such issues as terminating parental rights and approving adoptions. Some probate courts also issue marriage licenses and grant name changes. The probate court in New York, as well as in some other states, is called the surrogate's court. Ohio has a probate division in the common pleas court, which is the trial level court in Ohio.