How to become an Administrative Law Judge

Being an Administrative Law Judge provides you with the ability to enrich others' lives by making sure that every individual is treated equally, impartially and with compassion. 

An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) acts as an impartial judge of regulatory agencies and entities that offer benefits. There are around 1700 federal ALJs nationwide, and about 1500 are employed by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

SSA requires committed individuals who are trying to make a difference in the life of someone by operating as Administrative Law Judges. ALJs operate in over 162 Hearing Offices around the country with a nationwide support staff. ALJs are required in several states, including rural areas.

• Prepare opinions and decisions in writing
• Track and guide the trials and hearing activities to make sure that they are performed fairly and that the courts administer justice while ensuring the legal rights of all parties concerned
• Decide the amount of liability and existence in accordance with current legislation, judicial and administrative precedents and the evidence available 
• Study and evaluate rules, policies, regulations and precedent decisions to plan and draw findings for the hearings
• Carry out hearings to analyse and decide claims on issues like eligibility for social programmes, enforcement of safety and health regulations or environmental protection 
• Assess and review data on documents like applications for a claim, birth or death certificates, or records of physicians or employers 
• Rule on motions, exceptions, and evidence admissibility
• Recommend that compromise settlements or claims be approved or refused in accordance with legislation, rules, policies and precedent decisions 
• Consult with involved organizations or individuals in the case to receive appropriate information 
• Administer vows and issue subpoenas in preparation for formal hearings 
• Enlighten claimants how they can challenge fraudulent rulings 
• Enable payment of legitimate claims and decide payment method
• Carry out appeal procedures studies in field agencies to guarantee compliance with the legal requirements and to assist the determination of cases

Administrative law judges have rules of law to apply. They cannot allow personal biases of their own to intervene with the proceedings. For example, when determining and evaluating if an individual is a danger to others and needs to be sent to jail, they should base their judgments on clear interpretations of the law. 

They have to be able to weigh up the facts, apply the law and regulations, and make a decision fairly quickly. To do this efficiently, incoming information must be assessed, so they have to be really attentive to all that is being said.

Administrative law judges should also be able to separate relevant facts from vast quantities of often ambiguous details, and then critically analyse the evidence. They write recommendations and decisions on appeals and disputes. They must be able to write their decisions down clearly so that all sides understand the decision.

Administrative law judges (ALJs) primarily work within the government sector, specifically in administrative agencies or tribunals. Their role involves presiding over administrative hearings and making decisions on legal disputes and regulatory matters. Some of the industries and areas where administrative law judges are commonly found include:

• Social Security Administration
• Federal Agencies
• State and Local Agencie
• Employment and Labor Relations
• Health and Human Services
• Workers' Compensation Board
• Immigration Courts