The traditional cornerstone for administrative law has been a crucial part of public administration for decades. These are the rule of law, delegation, discretion, and accountability. The rule of law requires that decisions by government administrators must be consistent with established laws and regulations. Delegation is when government officials delegate their authority to others as needed. Discretion denotes administrators’ freedom in deciding as long as it remains within the boundaries of established laws (Rouse et al., 2018). Lastly, accountability is important in public administration; administrators must be accountable for their actions and decisions.
These cornerstones have impacted juries and judges by ensuring that they make judgements that are within the rule of law. Administrators must be well-versed in laws and regulations, as they ultimately decide their scope of authority while remaining compliant with existing laws (Mäenpää & Fenger, 2018). The rule of law ensures that decisions are made in accordance with the law, while delegation allows administrators to focus on their core responsibilities. Discretion allows them to rule in accordance with the bounds of the law, and accountability holds them accountable for their actions (Rouse et al., 2018). These cornerstones have been essential in shaping the work of public administrators for many years and will continue to do so in the future.
The contemporary cornerstones of public administration include principles such as transparency, service orientation, evidence-based ruling, and the application of technology. Transparency requires that decisions made by administrators are open and accessible to the public. Service orientation means that administrators must focus on providing quality services to citizens efficiently. Evidence-based resolution refers to the utilization of data and research to make decisions. Lastly, the use of technology allows for improved communication between administrators and citizens, as well as streamlining administrative processes (Rouse et al., 2018). Generally, the cornerstones promote objectivity in decisions and the adherence of the jurisdiction regulations.
References
Mäenpää, O., & Fenger, N. (2018). Public administration and good governance. In Nordic Law in European Context (pp. 163-178). Springer.
Rouse, J., Meyer K., Noe, N., & Geerts, J., (2018). Foreword (By Parris N. Glendening, former governor of Maryland). The Craft of Public Administration (11th ed.). Routledge.