Administrative file
Introduction
An administrative file is the set of documents generated by an administrative procedure. These documents may be all paper, some paper and some electronic, or entirely electronic from the start. Files that originally consisted of paper documents can also be digitized. In Spain, article 70.1 of Law 39/2015, of October 1, on the Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations, defines the administrative file as "the ordered set of documents and actions that serve as a background and basis for the administrative resolution, as well as the procedures aimed at executing it."[1].
The RAE gives 11 definitions of file,[2] mostly very little used. The Wiktionary collects them inː.
This page refers to definition 3 of the RAEː "set of all the papers corresponding to a matter or business, specifically speaking of the ordered series of administrative actions." An old name, now used pejoratively, is legajo.[3].
In English this concept is not differentiated, but subsumed in the very polysemic (19 meanings)[4] word file, in its sense an arranged collection of documents, very different from the usual one (computer file). The X-Files series has its original name in English The X-Files. In French we use dossier.
The administrative file is the fundamental basis of the administrative procedure[5] because, on the one hand, it allows each step to be taken and the conclusions substantiated.[6] On the other hand, it makes it easier to verify that everything has been done according to the regulations and within the stipulated deadlines. If not, it opens the door to allegations or appeals against the resolution of that procedure.[6].
Access
The person interested in the procedure has the right to access the file (you can request a copy of any documents) and to know its processing status.[5].
Sanctioning file
The sanctioning file is the result of an administrative sanctioning procedure, a type of procedure that is more restricted than the common administrative procedure and subject to stricter rules. The verb file and the expression refer to the beginning of an administrative sanctioning procedure.