Statutes

Statutes are written laws enacted by legislative bodies such as parliament or congress. They are primary sources of law in many jurisdictions and govern public affairs, crime, taxation, and civil rights. Statutes create rules that are broadly applicable and prescriptive, often replacing or supplementing common law or administrative regulations.

Enactment and publication: A statute typically follows a formal legislative process: proposal or bill, committee scrutiny, readings and debate, passage by both houses, and formal assent by an executive or head of state. The statute is then officially published in an authorized code or gazette, and it comes into force on a specified date or upon proclamation. Some statutes apply prospectively; others may have retrospective effects limited by constitutional constraints.

Interpretation and effect: Courts interpret statutes to determine their meaning and scope. Approaches include textualism (focusing on the ordinary meaning of the text) and purposivism (considering legislative intent and policy goals). Statutes can be amended or repealed by later statutes, and conflicts with prior law are resolved by rules of interpretation, codification, and can be preempted by constitutional provisions. In many legal systems, statutes legislate over common law in areas like criminal law or commercial regulation.

Types and examples: Statutes can be criminal statutes defining offenses and penalties, civil statutes governing contracts and property, and specialized statutes regulating fields such as taxation, environmental protection, health, and corporate conduct. In federal systems, statutes may operate at national or subnational levels, sometimes with interplay between them.