What is statutory law?

Statutory law refers specifically to laws that are written and enacted by legislative bodies, such as Congress at the federal level or state legislatures. This type of law is created through a formal process where proposed laws, known as bills, are debated, amended, and voted on by elected representatives. Once passed, these laws are codified in legal codes and are enforceable as binding legal authority.

This definition distinguishes statutory law from other types of law. For example, common law is developed through judicial decisions and precedents set by court rulings, while social norms are unwritten rules based on societal values and behaviors, rather than formalized legal standards. Regarding the idea of laws being established only by individual states, it is important to note that statutory law can exist at both state and federal levels, thus making the assertion that it applies solely to individual states inaccurate.