The National Association
of Administrative Law Judiciary (NAALJ) is the largest professional organization devoted exclusively to
administrative adjudication devoted to the executive branch of
government. It is a non-profit corporation founded in 1974 in the
state of Illinois. Its voting members include: state, federal, and
local administrative law judges, administrative judges, hearing
officers, referees, trial examiners, agency chairs and
commissioners, as well as higher appellate authorities, exercising a
wide variety of subject matter jurisdiction. Associate members
include law professors and attorneys involved in administrative law.
As of May 31, 2007 had approximately 700 dues paying members.
Currently NAALJ has
members in every state as well as, Australia, Canada, the Mariana
Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The NAALJ
organization includes many state affiliates such as the Arkansas
Association of Administrative Adjudicators, the Georgia Association
of Administrative Judiciary, the Illinois Association of
Administrative Law Judges, the Iowa Association of Administrative
Law Judges, the Kentucky Association of Administrative Adjudicators,
the Louisiana Association of Administrative Law Judges, the Maryland
and District of Columbia Association of Administrative Adjudicators,
the Michigan Association of Administrative Law Judges, New York
State Administrative Law Judges Association, the Oregon
Administrative Law Judges Association, the Virginia Association of
Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers, the Washington
Administrative Law Judges Association, and the West Virginia
Association of Administrative Law Judges.
NAALJ’s
core functions are first, the enhancement of the quality of
administrative justice and second, the furtherance of the process of
alternate dispute resolution by means of arbitration and mediation.
To those ends, NAALJ provides for exchanging ideas and
information. It conducts seminars and conferences, publishes a
journal and newsletter, and confers with officials of the state and
federal governments on methods of improving administrative
adjudication. NAALJ has adopted a Model Code of Conduct for
State Administrative Law Judges, XVI J. NAALJ 279 (1994),
and was a moving force behind the ABA Model Act for Creating a State
Central Hearing Agency (Office of Administrative Hearings).
NAALJ is on the forefront in the fulfillment of the true and proper role of
administrative adjudication within the larger science of
jurisprudence. Administrative adjudication has existed since the
very beginning of our country in the sense that commissions were
created by George Washington as president and other early presidents
for such functions as the assignment of specific executive
responsibilities and calculations of veteran’s benefits from the
time of the American Revolution and the creation of tariffs
schedules for American ports. It is our fond hope that in the future
our role will take its place in the larger structure of government.
