public authority
State administrative entity
A public authority is a government body or official agency with legal power to act on behalf of the state: The public authority issued new regulations on building safety.
The term encompasses entities at any level—federal, state, or local—that exercise governmental functions, from transit authorities to housing commissions.
In legal contexts, public authority often determines whether an organization is subject to freedom of information laws or constitutional constraints on government action.
Power to act
- bureauOffice or furniture chest
- departmentDistinct unit within organization
- bodyPhysical structure, living thing
- entityIndependent existing thing
office · commission · board · establishment · organization · regulatory body · quango · watchdog
Authority over a state
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- stateCondition or mode
- municipalityLocal governing district
- councilAdvisory deliberative group
parliament · legislature · cabinet · ministry · executive · sovereignty · statecraft · policy
Authority to direct
- enforcementCompelling compliance with rules
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
- dominionAuthority to rule
influence · compulsion · sanction · decree · order · directive · injunction · warrant
Official enactment of statutes
- ordinanceOfficial government regulation
- statuteEnacted written rule
- rulesPrinciples governing behavior
- complianceAdhering to requirements
standards · licensing · permits · zoning · enforcement · oversight · inspection · sanctions
Confidence in another
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- transparencyState of being see-through
- credibilityQuality inspiring trust
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
consent · democratic · representation · responsibility · integrity · oversight · scrutiny · checks and balances
Trial venue or sports surface
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
- competenceAdequate ability to function
domain · scope · mandate · enforcement · adjudication · jurisprudence · judicial review · boundaries
Government agency employees
- officialsThose holding formal power
- administratorsPeople overseeing operations
- red tapeBureaucratic obstacles to action
- paperworkAdministrative written tasks
procedures · protocol · hierarchy · departments · formalities · filings · records · documentation
Essential infrastructure services
- welfareComfort and prosperity
- healthcareOrganized provision of treatment
- educationSystematic development of mind
- transportationMoving people or goods
sanitation · infrastructure · policing · firefighting · postal service · water supply · electricity · waste management
agency
Power to act
- bureauOffice or furniture chest
- departmentDistinct unit within organization
- bodyPhysical structure, living thing
entity · office · commission · board · establishment · organization · regulatory body · quango · watchdog · ombudsman
government
Authority over a state
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- stateCondition or mode
- municipalityLocal governing district
council · parliament · legislature · cabinet · ministry · executive · sovereignty · statecraft · policy · democracy
control
Authority to direct
- enforcementCompelling compliance with rules
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
dominion · influence · compulsion · sanction · decree · order · directive · injunction · warrant · summons
legislation
Official enactment of statutes
- ordinanceOfficial government regulation
- statuteEnacted written rule
- rulesPrinciples governing behavior
compliance · standards · licensing · permits · zoning · enforcement · oversight · inspection · sanctions · penalties
trust
Confidence in another
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- transparencyState of being see-through
- credibilityQuality inspiring trust
mandate · consent · democratic · representation · responsibility · integrity · oversight · scrutiny · checks and balances · due process
court
Trial venue or sports surface
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
competence · domain · scope · mandate · enforcement · adjudication · jurisprudence · judicial review · boundaries · territory
civil servants
Government agency employees
- officialsThose holding formal power
- administratorsPeople overseeing operations
- red tapeBureaucratic obstacles to action
paperwork · procedures · protocol · hierarchy · departments · formalities · filings · records · documentation · permits
utilities
Essential infrastructure services
- welfareComfort and prosperity
- healthcareOrganized provision of treatment
- educationSystematic development of mind
transportation · sanitation · infrastructure · policing · firefighting · postal service · water supply · electricity · waste management · social services
- government bodiesagency, bureau, legislature, department, ministry
- legal entitiescorporation, law firm, LLC, company, nonprofit
- administrative lawadjudication, judicial review, regulatory agency, natural justice, rulemaking
- Kuwait GovernmentNational Assembly, Crown Prince, constitutional court, defense ministry, foreign ministry
- legal defensesself-defense, alibi, affirmative defense, insanity defense, insanity
- government officesDMV, bureau, agency, post office, administrative office
public authorityprivate company
Business without public shareholders
private enterprise · private corporation · private sector · commercial enterprise · privately held company
public authorityprivate citizen
individual · private person · grassroots movement · civil society · the public
public, authority, authorize, authorized, publicly, authorities, unauthorized, authoritative, authorization