The executive branch
agency adjudication
An agency deciding a specific case rather than writing a general rule: whether this claim is paid, this license is granted, this company broke this regulation.
In full
Agencies make policy two ways, by rulemaking and by adjudication. Adjudication resolves one dispute at a time, sometimes with a full hearing before an ALJ and sometimes on paper. Decisions can be appealed inside the agency and then, usually, to a federal court of appeals. Doing policy through adjudication is faster than rulemaking but gives the public no chance to comment.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.