In the United States, the doctrine of exhaustion of remedies is a court-made rule that requires a party to complete the administrative appeals process (including any internal review) before seeking judicial review. This requirement derives from the principle that agencies should have the first opportunity to correct their own errors, and it also prevents premature litigation. However, courts have recognized important exceptions, such as when the agency action is clearly unlawful, when exhaustion would be futile, or when the agency has acted beyond its jurisdiction.