What is the nature of deference shown to administrative decisions?

Deference is the idea that a court should show respect to a decision made by an administrative authority. In Washington, this means that when a court reviews a decision made by an agency, it should give weight to the decisions of the agency and not substitute its own judgment. The degree of deference that a court shows to an administrative decision is based on factors like whether the court is reviewing the decision from a federal or state agency, the type of decision being made, and the authority of the agency making the decision. For administrative decisions made by federal agencies, the Supreme Court of the United States has established a standard of showing deference called the “Chevron deference.” Under this standard, courts should defer to an agency’s interpretation of a statute if it is reasonable and not in direct conflict with the will of Congress. At a state level, the courts generally show deference to administrative decisions under a combination of the Supreme Court’s Chevron deference and the state’s own rules of statutory interpretation. In Washington, the courts are also guided by the Washington Administrative Procedure Act which sets out a standard for determining when deference should be shown to an agency’s decision. Ultimately, the deference shown to an administrative decision is based on the idea that agencies have special expertise in specific areas and that courts should be respectful of these decisions. The degree of deference shown will depend on the facts of the case and the court’s interpretation of the applicable laws.

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What is the nature of deference shown to administrative decisions?

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