statutory law

[stach-oo-tawr-ee law]

noun

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

statutory law

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of statutory law¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Germain said unlike states like California that regularly update their statutory laws, New York’s contempt laws are “very restrictive” and old.

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

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The court simply assumes it away with the syllogistic reasoning that Alabama’s statutory law specifies that human life includes “unborn” life.

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

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Given that state courts apply a state's constitution and state statutory law, a strong independent state legislature doctrine could leave the state legislature unfettered by state law in this area.

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