While we have many laws created by representatives that regulate how our democratic society interacts, we must have a bureaucracy to carry out or implement these laws. When we view public policy or law creation as a responsibility of the legislative branch, the implementation or carrying out of these laws within the intent of the law as a responsibility of the executive branch, and the judicial branch as being responsible for holding the other two accountable to the constitution, we find ourselves in need of understanding the judicial actions that regulate the implementation of law.
This is where we find administrative law and policy. Many times, policies or laws are created without specific directions or definitions. For example, a law that says we will have clean air and water without defining what clean air and water is, provides the bureaucracy the ability to define these issues. This is where the judicial branch may be called upon to protect constitutional rights and equities when the administration of policy results in harm.