Administrative Hearing Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Administrative Hearing, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Administrative Hearing?

n. it is a proceeding before a court of law or other decision-making body or officer. Its worth noting that it is less formal and shorter than a trial. Mainly targetted towards settling some such issue that can be dealt without getting into legal modalities, administrative hearing involves hearing evidence and/or arguments and reaching an acceptable solution without legal trial.

History and Meaning of Administrative Hearing

An administrative hearing is a procedure in which an impartial hearing officer presides over a dispute between a government agency and someone affected by the agency's decision. The hearing officer hears testimony, takes evidence and issues a decision that may be binding or non-binding. Administrative hearings are less formal than courtroom trials and do not always involve attorneys, although parties may be represented by one.

Administrative hearings are a part of the system of administrative law and are typically held when an individual or business feels that they have been wronged by a government agency or regulation, and wish to challenge that agency's decision. These hearings are held before administrative law judges (ALJs) or hearing officers who have been appointed to preside over the hearing.

Examples of Administrative Hearing

  1. A person who has lost their driver's license due to a DUI arrest may appeal the suspension in an administrative hearing.
  2. A business owner who has been cited for a building code violation may request an administrative hearing to challenge the citation.
  3. An individual who believes they have been wrongly denied unemployment benefits may request an administrative hearing to appeal the decision.

Legal Terms Similar to Administrative Hearing

  1. Arbitration - a legal process for resolving disputes outside of court
  2. Mediation - a negotiation process in which a neutral third party helps the parties in dispute come to a mutually acceptable solution
  3. Due process - a principle requiring fair treatment in legal proceedings, including administrative hearings.