ACUS periodically convenes working groups of public- and private-sector experts to develop model rules that federal agencies can use develop or amend their own procedures.
The Model Adjudication Rules are designed for use by federal agencies to amend or develop their procedural rules for all stages of administrative adjudication. The model rules were first developed in 1993 and substantially revised in 2018 to account for significant changes in adjudicative practices and procedures, including the use of electronic case management and video hearings.
The Model Rules for Implementation of the Equal Access to Justice Act provide model agency procedural rules for addressing claims under the Act, which provides for the award of attorney fees to individuals and small businesses that prevail against the government in certain agency adjudications. The model rules were first developed in 1986 and substantially revised in 2019 to reflect changes in law and agency practice.
A working group is currently developing model rules to help federal agencies amend or develop their rules governing representatives in adjudicative proceedings consistent with the best practices identified in Recommendation 2021-9.