Intro to Paralegal Studies Practice

What is a regulation?

1. A rule established by an administrative agency

2. A body of law created by court decisions

3. A legal principle derived from equity

4. A type of federal statute

The correct answer is: A rule established by an administrative agency

A regulation is indeed a rule established by an administrative agency. Administrative agencies are created by legislative bodies to perform specific government functions, such as enforcing laws and creating rules regarding the implementation of those laws. These regulations provide detailed guidance on how the broader laws enacted by legislatures should be followed in practical terms, often filling in the gaps and addressing specifics that the statutes themselves do not cover. In contrast to other options, court decisions create case law, forming a body of law through judicial interpretations rather than through administrative rule-making processes. Legal principles derived from equity are concerned with fairness and are applied when strict adherence to the law would result in an unjust outcome, but they do not constitute regulations. Federal statutes are laws enacted by Congress but are distinct from regulations, which are established by agencies following the authority given to them by those statutes. Therefore, the definition of a regulation as a rule established by an administrative agency accurately captures its role in the legal landscape.