statutory law

American  

[stach-oo-tawr-ee law] / ˈstætʃ ʊˌtɔr i ˈlɔ /

noun

1. the written law established by enactments expressing the will of the legislature, as distinguished from the unwritten law or common law.

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statutory law Cultural  

1. A law or group of laws passed by a legislature or other official governing bodies. (Compare common law.)

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Etymology

Origin of statutory law

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

statutory law

In other words, Parliament accused James of unilaterally nullifying statutory law both generally and for particular people; of collecting taxes without legislative consent; and of spending money in ways not authorized by Parliament.

From Slate ● Jan. 29, 2025

“The whole array of statutory law and constitutional law is available.”

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 23, 2024

Currently, those rights in California were established by statutory law and by court ruling.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2022

However, in a well-functioning democracy, state constitutional and statutory law should reflect the preferences of a state's people.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2022

In the other provinces and territories the common law of England forms the basis of jurisprudence on which a large body of Canadian statutory law has been built in the course of time.

From Canada under British Rule 1760-1900 by Bourinot, John George, Sir