Along with the concept of controversy, the administrative contentious institution is interpreted in Chilean law in terms of an injury to rights, a jurisdiction, a judicial review of administrative acts and a process. This investigation associates each of these notions to a constitutional period in which the administrative contentious institution has had a prevalent function as a result of constitutional changes in the administrative justice regimes. This function would explain the doctrinal use of this notion. At the same time, it would also allow us to understand its complexity.