Public Administration and Law, Third Edition

Book excerpt: A Practical Handbook for Public Administrators Despite the sizeable literature on administrative law and the courts, few books adequately demonstrate how judicial decisions have transformed American public administration thought and practice. Public Administration and Law is the first book of its kind to comprehensively examine the impact of judicial decisions on the enterprise of public administration. A practical guide for practitioners, this book goes beyond a theoretical framework and provides concrete advice for real-world situations. Rather than abstractly and generally discuss doctrines such as procedural and substantive due process, the book analyzes their application to specific contexts in which administrators engage individuals. Written in a non-technical fashion, the volume discusses contemporary federal administrative law and judicial review of agency action (or inaction). It clearly explains the general framework that controls agency rule making, adjudication, release of information, and related issues. In addition, a section is included on the burgeoning and litigious field of environmental law, and advice is presented as to what public administrators need to know about environmental regulations and what can happen to those who fail to head them. Now in its second edition, this handbook is a must for public administrators who want to successfully avoid judicial scrutiny and challenge of their official actions.