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California Administrative Law

Information on locating California regulations, guidance, administrative decisions, and executive orders and proclamations online and at the UCLA Law Library.
URL: https://libguides.law.ucla.edu/caladminlaw

Introduction to California Administrative Law

California administrative law refers to the law created by the California governor and California administrative agencies, including:

  • Regulations: law passed by agencies to implement statutes passed by the legislature. 
  • Guidance: rules established by agencies without following the process for creating regulations. Common examples include handbooks and advice letters.
  • Administrative decisions: "cases" decided by agency staff, rather than by the court
  • Executive orders and proclamations: orders and ceremonial statements issued by the California governor.

This guide provides information on where to find current regulations, how regulations are made, how to track pending regulations, how to research a regulation's history, and where to find administrative decisions, guidance, and executive orders and proclamations.

More Information on California Administrative Law

Most California administrative lawmaking is governed by a statute passed by the California legislature called the California Administrative Procedure Act:

The following guides offer detailed information on how to research California administrative law:

The treatise Witkin on California Procedure discusses the substance of California administrative law in Chapter XIV. Administrative Proceedings and is available in print at the library and on Lexis and Westlaw:

The California Jurisprudence encyclopedia discusses the substance of California administrative law in its Administrative Law chapter and is available in print at the library and on Lexis and Westlaw:
Subjects: Primary Sources
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