What constitutes a quasi-judicial agency action?

• A. A formal decision affecting the rights, duties, or privileges of specific individuals after a hearing.
• B. A policy statement issued by an agency without a hearing.
• C. An informal guidance letter to a business.
• D. A routine administrative task not affecting any specific person.

Answer: (A)

A quasi-judicial agency action is a decision the agency makes that resembles a court ruling: it follows an adjudicatory process with a formal hearing, creates a record, and results in a final order that binds the rights, duties, or privileges of a specific person or entity. This is distinct from policy statements or general rules issued without a hearing, informal guidance letters, or routine administrative tasks that don’t affect particular individuals. The key features are the formal hearing and an individualized determination that has binding effect on a named party.