M1: Statutes

Statutes Overview

• Definition of Statutes

  • Statutes are defined as laws that are enacted by a legislature.

• Types of Statutes

  • Federal Statutes:
  • Passed by Congress, which is the legislative body of the federal government.
  • State Statutes:
  • Passed by state legislatures, which govern each individual state in the United States.

• Organization and Publication of Statutes

  • Once passed, statutes are:
  • Organized by subject matter to facilitate access and understanding.
  • Published in a code:
    • United States Code (U.S. Code):
    • Contains all federal laws enacted by Congress.
    • State Statutory Codes:
    • Each state maintains its own code which includes its statutory laws.

• Researching Statutes

  • When conducting research regarding legal issues, it’s important to use the appropriate statutes:
  • The U.S. Code for federal laws concerning the issue.
  • The appropriate state code for relevant state laws.

Example of a Federal Statute

• Context:
  • The provided excerpt refers to a specific federal statute that addresses legal obligations for corporate officers regarding financial reporting.
• Location:
  • This statute is located in Title 18 of The United States Code.
• Variability in Structure:
  • Statutes typically contain multiple subsections.
  • These subsections are denoted by letters and numbers, allowing for clear referencing and organization of different provisions within the statute.
  • Example: A subsection could be referenced as 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a) where the 18 stands for Title 18 and § 1001(a) refers to the specific section and its subsection.