5 USC § 572 - General authority

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t5/s572"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "5 USC § 572 - General authority"
title_number: 5
title_name: "GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES"
section_number: "572"
section_name: "General authority"
chapter_number: 5
chapter_name: "ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE"
subchapter_number: "IV"
subchapter_name: "ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "THE AGENCIES GENERALLY"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 101–552, § 4(b), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2739, § 582; renumbered § 572, Pub. L. 102–354, § 3(b)(2), Aug. 26, 1992, 106 Stat. 944.)"
---


# § 572. General authority

**(a)** An agency may use a dispute resolution proceeding for the resolution of an issue in controversy that relates to an administrative program, if the parties agree to such proceeding.

**(b)** An agency shall consider not using a dispute resolution proceeding if—

**(1)** a definitive or authoritative resolution of the matter is required for precedential value, and such a proceeding is not likely to be accepted generally as an authoritative precedent;

**(2)** the matter involves or may bear upon significant questions of Government policy that require additional procedures before a final resolution may be made, and such a proceeding would not likely serve to develop a recommended policy for the agency;

**(3)** maintaining established policies is of special importance, so that variations among individual decisions are not increased and such a proceeding would not likely reach consistent results among individual decisions;

**(4)** the matter significantly affects persons or organizations who are not parties to the proceeding;

**(5)** a full public record of the proceeding is important, and a dispute resolution proceeding cannot provide such a record; and

**(6)** the agency must maintain continuing jurisdiction over the matter with authority to alter the disposition of the matter in the light of changed circumstances, and a dispute resolution proceeding would interfere with the agency’s fulfilling that requirement.

**(c)** Alternative means of dispute resolution authorized under this subchapter are voluntary procedures which supplement rather than limit other available agency dispute resolution techniques.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 101–552, § 4(b), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2739, § 582; renumbered § 572, Pub. L. 102–354, § 3(b)(2), Aug. 26, 1992, 106 Stat. 944.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section 572 of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees, was transferred to , Agriculture.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 572 was renumbered .

### Amendments

1992— renumbered  as this section.