Does One State Agency Have The Power To Declare Another State Agency's Regulation To Be Invalid?

As a former teacher of Administrative Law, I am interested in a recent request to the California Attorney General for an opinion whether the California Office of Tax Appeals has the authority to declare regulations adopted by another state agency to...

"Regulated Parties Are Always Entitled To Fair Notice What Is Required Or Prohibited" Amen

The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “[n]o person shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” A similar due process mandate is imposed on the states by the Fourteenth Amendment. In...

Can Nonprecedential Decisions Be Relied Upon?

Yesterday's post noted that an administrative decision had not been listed as a "precedent decision".  Today's post will delve into the role of precedential and nonprecedential agency decisions.

If Conduct Is Not Continuing, Can It Be Discontinued?

The Commissioner of the Department of Financial Protection & Innovation is vested with broad statutory authority to issue orders directing the discontinuance of violations or that a person "desist and refrain" from specified conduct. Cal. Corp. Code...

Report Issued On Two-For-One Executive Order, But What About The SEC?

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs recently published a report on the fiscal 2018 results of President Trump's Executive Order 13771 (Jan. 30, 2017) requiring federal agencies and departments to, among other things, eliminate two...

Supreme Court Shows No Deference To The DBO

For U.S. Supreme Court followers, a hot topic is whether the Court will continue to apply "Chevron deference".  Under Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, 467 U.S. 837 (1984), a court will uphold an agency's interpretation of an...

The SEC Shows That It's Never Too Late To Correct Some Mistakes

In 1997, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted revisions to forms and schedules filed under the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, related provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Public Utility...

Standard Of Review Is Clear For Administrative Interpretations Of Statutes And Rules

A few days ago, I noted the Court of Appeal's opinion in Davis Test Only Smog Testing v. Dept. of Consumer Affairs, 2017 Cal. App. LEXIS 855.  That post concerned the Court's holding that the plaintiffs' due process rights had not been violated by...

Attorney General Opines On Lay Representation At Administrative Hearings

Over three years ago, I wrote that California's Office of Administrative Hearings had requested the California Attorney General provide an opinion answering the following question:

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