1049 South Building
Washington, D. C. 20250-9202
Phone: 202-720-6383
Fax: 202-690-0790
The Office of Administrative
Law Judges (OALJ)
presently consists
of three Judges who
conduct rulemaking
and adjudicatory hearings
throughout the United
States in proceedings
subject to the Administrative
Procedure Act (APA),
5 U.S.C. § 551
et seq. There
are approximately
40 statutes administered
by agencies within
the Department of
Agriculture that require
APA hearings. The
Judges issue initial
decisions and orders
in adjudicatory proceedings
which become final
decisions of the Secretary
unless appealed to
the Secretary's Judicial
Officer by a party
to the proceedings.
Final consent orders
are issued by the
Judges following hearings
or upon waiver of
hearing. The Judges
also decide appeals
of debarments and
suspensions as required
by regulations implementing
a government-wide
system for nonprocurement
debarments and suspensions
(7 C.F.R. § 3017.100-.515
(1993)).
For purposes of Departmental
Administration, the
Chief Judge reports
to the Assistant Secretary
for Administration.
However, the Judges
are free from any
Departmental interference
in their performance
of judicial functions,
and all case assignments
are made by the Chief
Judge.
The Chief Judge also
provides overall management
for the Office of
the Hearing Clerk.
This Office, under
the direction of a
Supervisory Legal
Technician, receives,
files, and serves
pleadings, briefs,
and decisions. It
maintains official
records of the Department
(including the transcripts
of adjudicatory and
rulemaking hearings),
and in the event of
an appeal, certifies
such records to the
Court of Appeals or
District Court for
subsequent review.
In addition, OALJ
is responsible for
publication of Agriculture
Decisions, the official
compilation of quasi-judicial
and judicial decisions
issued concerning
regulatory laws administered
by the Department.