Which term describes the final decision after a hearing that includes findings and conclusions?

• A. Final order
• B. Recommended order
• C. Interim order
• D. Judgment

Answer: (A)

After an administrative hearing, the decision that resolves the matter and states the facts found along with the legal conclusions is the final order. This is the agency’s official ruling and it carries the findings of fact and conclusions of law that support it. Often, a hearing officer will prepare a recommended order with those findings and conclusions, but the agency issues the final order to make the decision binding. An interim order is only a temporary measure while the case is pending and does not represent the final resolution. A judgment is a court’s decision from judicial proceedings, not an agency ruling after an administrative hearing.