Every country has rules to govern the nation; the necessity of rules leads to constructing a constitution that embodies several laws, acts, duties, rights, etc.
It is important as these rules or laws create uniformity across the nation, which makes it easy for the government to govern properly.
There is a separate body that is responsible for making laws for the Welfare of society, and this body is known as the legislature,
a legislative body is present in every Democratic Republic in the country, constantly ensuring the proper enactment of laws.
Several terms are interlinked with laws or have quite similar meanings, for example, statutory laws or acts, but they are entirely different from laws.
Key Takeaways
- Law is a system of rules and regulations established by a governing body, enforced by courts and law enforcement agencies; statutes are specific laws enacted by legislative bodies.
- Laws can encompass various forms of regulations, including common law, civil law, and criminal law; statutes are written laws created by a legislative body.
- Laws are broader and more abstract, setting principles and guidelines for behaviour; statutes are specific, concrete laws established through a legislative process.
Law vs. Statute
Laws define the rules of the country. A law includes both statutory and administrative rules. Before implementing the law, it is first discussed by the parliament and then the judiciary. A statute is a type of law that is passed on the federal level. It is limited to statutory rules. It is a legal document. The federal-level president signs it.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Law | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | It is a wider term that includes all types of rules and regulations, statutory laws, and administrative rules. | The statute is a type of law that is written by the legislature and signed by the president for Governor at the state level. |
| Purpose | To maintain law and order | To document a law |
| Type of document | System of ruling | A legal document |
| Mentioned in | Various legal documents | Specific codes |
| Drafting committee | Executive and legislature | Legislature |
What is Law?
Law is an official statement in any country that states the rules for the citizens of a country. The law includes provisional rules, statutory laws, administrative rules, etc.
Laws are enforceable by the Judiciary of the country, which is an independent organ of the government; it regulates the relationship between the organs of government,
the relationship of state government with that of the national government, the relationship of conduct subjects to each other, etc.
Laws are of four types: international law, criminal law, energy law, and corporate law.
Law serves many purposes, like resolving disputes, establishing liberty and equality in society, maintaining order, establishing standards, etc.
Law is extremely important for society as it acts as guidelines for the citizens of what society accepts. The law can also be used formally for various communities; it does not necessarily mean constitutional law.
Law has provisions that apply to people in different circumstances to act rightly, it is important to provide justice through law, and it constitutes rules and regulations which enable people to get proper equality and liberty and its true sense.
Law is designed by the bodies of Government, and with the decision-making power of the judiciary, it is enacted in the country with uniform implementation, it ensures proper governance. The rule of law plays a vital role in enacting any law.
Laws are subject to amendments, and for these amendments,
their advantages and disadvantages and implications, and everything related to the law is discussed and debated in the parliament and then the judiciary. After the final decision, a law is enacted in the country.
What is the Statute?
A statute is simply a written law passed by the legislature on the state or federal level. A statute may forbid certain acts, make a declaration, or set forth governmental mechanisms to aid society.
The legislature proposes a bill that is discussed in both houses. If it survives the process of discussion and debates, it gets signed by the president on the Federal level or by Governor at the state level. This is eventually known as a statute.
When a bill becomes law, its various provisions are known as a statute.
The law-making powers are vested in elected legislative members; the vesting of lawmaking power in the hands of lawmakers is a representation of democracy. Law created through judicial powers stands and contradiction to statute law.
The Executive Branch may possess the law-making power under the federal or state constitution. The judiciary can review statutes to determine their validity under those constitutions.
When a court strikes down a statute, it makes a law that applies to the country’s people.
The legislature does not pass statutes that cover every conceivable dispute. Furthermore, the language covered Institute might not cover all the situations as they are written in broader terms, and Judiciary is expected to read between the lines.
Main Differences Between Law and Statute
- Law is a broader term that includes all kinds of rules and regulations along with duties and rights for the common good of people. On the other hand, the statute codifies specific rules made for some special provisions.
- On the other hand, a statute is a written form of law containing all the rules and regulations of the country.
- Statute documents law after passing by the Legislature to make it accessible to the country’s people. On the other hand, the law maintains law and order in the country and ensures that every citizen respects the government’s or state’s will.
- The statute is a legal document. On the other hand, law is a system of ruling.
- Statutes are drawn together under subjects that are known as codes. On the other hand, the law is a system of rules which can be documented in several legal documents.
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=3CNDBgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=what+is+law&ots=Fu7xHrC_rB&sig=kazIqnqjHzS9-_wB5xJ7k0EzVjg
- https://heinonline.org/hol-cgi-bin/get_pdf.cgi?handle=hein.journals/clr47§ion=38
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I disagree with the article’s stance on the influence of the rule of law in enacting any law.