Statutory law

Statutory law is written law (as opposed to oral or customary law) set down by a legislature or other governing authority such as the executive branch of government in response to a need to clarify the functioning of government, improve civil order, answer a public need, to codify existing law, or for an individual or company to obtain special treatment.

The term codified law is sometimes used as a synonym for statutory law in general. In some U.S. states, the entire body of statutory law is referred to as a "code," such as the Ohio Revised Code. At the federal and state level in the United States, portions of the statutory law are also referred to as "code," such as the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

Other websites

• Parliamentary Fact Sheets Archived 2006-12-10 at the Wayback Machine United Kingdom