Statutory Law: The Law Passed by Legislatures

Statutory law is the law that is passed by legislatures, such as the United States Congress or state legislatures. Statutory law is also known as statute law, enacted law, or legislative law. Statutory law is created when a legislature passes a bill and the bill is signed into law by the https://www.loanblog.net/ executive branch. Once a bill is signed into law, it becomes a statute. Statutes are codified, meaning that they are organized and published in a collection of laws called a code. The most well-known code of statutory law in the United States is the United States Code. Statutory law covers a wide range of topics, including criminal law, civil law, business law, and family law. Statutes can be used to create new laws, to amend existing laws, or to repeal laws.

Sources of Statutory Law

The primary source of statutory law is the legislation that is passed by legislatures. However, there are other sources of statutory law, including:

  • Administrative law: Administrative law is the law that is created by administrative agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency or the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  • Local ordinances: Local ordinances are laws that are passed by local governments, such as city councils or county commissions.
  • Tribal law: Tribal law is the law that is created by Native American tribes.

Interpretation of Statutory Law

Statutes are interpreted by courts. When a court interprets a statute, it considers the plain meaning of the statute, the legislative history of the statute, and the purpose of the statute.

Benefits of Statutory Law

Statutory law has a number of benefits, including:

  • Clarity: Statutes are written in plain language, which makes them easier to understand than common law.
  • Consistency: Statutes are applied consistently across the jurisdiction in which they were enacted.
  • Predictability: Statutes provide predictability for businesses and individuals. Businesses can rely on statutes to know what the law is and to plan accordingly. Individuals can rely on statutes to know what their rights and responsibilities are.

Challenges of Statutory Law

Statutory law also has some challenges, including:

  • Complexity: Statutes can be complex and difficult to understand. This can make it difficult for businesses and individuals to comply with the law.
  • Lag behind changing times: Statutes can lag behind changing times. This is because it can take time for legislatures to pass new laws or to amend existing laws.
  • Potential for abuse: Statutes can be abused by the legislature to pass laws that favor certain groups or individuals over others.

Conclusion

Statutory law is an important part of the legal system. It provides clear, consistent, and predictable laws that businesses and individuals can rely on. However, statutory law can also be complex and difficult to understand, and it can lag behind changing times

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