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Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Occupation Detailed Description

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

The main tasks and work activities of Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers are to prepare written decisions for legal proceedings, research relevant legal materials to aid decision making, evaluate information related to legal matters in public or personal records, identify implications for cases from legal precedents or other legal information. In general, for the Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers, critical Thinking, active Listening, reading Comprehension, judgment and Decision Making and other 13 skills are required.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Related ExperienceExtensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Job TrainingEmployees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
ExampleThese occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
11.22%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
11.22%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
77.56%

Tasks and Work Activities of Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

  • Prepare written opinions and decisions.
  • Review and evaluate data on documents, such as claim applications, birth or death certificates, or physician or employer records.
  • Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions.
  • Confer with individuals or organizations involved in cases to obtain relevant information.
  • Recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or compromise settlements according to laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions.
  • Explain to claimants how they can appeal rulings that go against them.
  • Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties.
  • Authorize payment of valid claims and determine method of payment.
  • Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations.
  • Rule on exceptions, motions, and admissibility of evidence.
  • Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence.
  • Issue subpoenas and administer oaths in preparation for formal hearings.
  • Conduct studies of appeals procedures in field agencies to ensure adherence to legal requirements and to facilitate determination of cases.
  • Schedule hearings.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersHandling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersTranslating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
  • Analyzing Data or InformationIdentifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Prepare written decisions for legal proceedings.
  • Research relevant legal materials to aid decision making.
  • Evaluate information related to legal matters in public or personal records.
  • Identify implications for cases from legal precedents or other legal information.
  • Interview claimants to get information related to legal proceedings.
  • Provide legal advice to clients.
  • Direct courtroom activities or procedures.
  • Authorize payments to settle legal disputes.
  • Make decisions in legal cases.
  • Conduct hearings to investigate legal issues.
  • Rule on admissibility of legal proceedings.
  • Administer oaths to court participants.
  • Prepare legal documents.
  • Coordinate legal schedules or activities.

Skills and Abilities for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Laser printerse.g. Computer laser printers
  • Microphonese.g. Courtroom microphones
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Digital voice recorderse.g. Digital audio recorders
  • Digital video disk players or recorderse.g. Digital video players
  • Gavels or sounding blockse.g. Gavels
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Special purpose telephonese.g. Multiline telephone systems
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Tablet computerse.g. Tablet computers
  • Teleconference equipmente.g. Teleconferencing equipment
  • Videoconferencing systemse.g. Videoconferencing equipment
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.