ABSTRACT
Although the emphasis in public administration and public management textbooks has been on management, law is a foundation for democratic governance. Public administration involves implementing policies and programs that are delegated to it by law. The sources of legal obligations, duties, and restrictions for public administrators include constitutions, statutes, administrative regulations, executive orders, treaties, and court decisions. American government operates under the rule of law. Locating the sources of these legal obligations and restraints through legal research is useful to students and public administrators.
