Federal Administrative Law

Introduction

Agency decisions, orders, and opinions are much more difficult to find than statutes, cases, or regulations. The decision to publish is up to the individual agency. Generally, check OneSearch (the online catalog), the agency’s website, Lexis & Westlaw, and other commercial publishing sources such as VitalLaw and Bloomberg Law. Be aware that most agency decisions are not precedential.

Published Decisions in Print

A non-exclusive list of published agency decisions can be found in T1.2 of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (22d ed. 2025) and Appendix 7 of The ALWD Citation Manual (7th ed. 2021).

• Use OneSearch to search for print agency reporters.
• Check a loose-leaf service.  A looseleaf service is made up of pages or pamphlets filed in binders, allowing current information to be easily added. These services bring together primary and secondary materials on specific legal topics.
  • Some of the most frequently cited services are listed in T15 of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (22d ed. 2025).
  • Many of these services are now available online.

Decisions Online

• Bloomberg Law (Law students & faculty only)
  • Major BNA loose-leafs in the areas of antitrust, banking, bankruptcy, corporations, food & drugs, energy, environment, health care, intellectual property, labor & employment, securities, tax, and transportation are available through the online subscription to BNA materials.
• VitalLaw (UC students & faculty only)
  • Major loose-leafs in the areas of energy and environment, healthcare, human resources, labor and employment law, life sciences, and payroll and entitlements are available through the online subscription to VitalLaw.
• HeinOnline U.S. Federal Agency Documents, Decisions, and Appeals Library (UC students & faculty only)
• Lexis Federal Administrative Materials (law students & faculty only)
• Westlaw Federal Administrative Decisions & Guidance (law students & faculty only)
• Nexis Uni Administrative Materials (UC students & faculty only)
• University of Virginia Library, Administrative Decisions

Shepards & KeyCite

Some agency decisions can be shepardized and keycited.