Statutes are laws passed by state legislatures (state laws) and by the United States Congress (federal laws). Statutes are one of the primary sources of law in the United States (sometimes referred to as statutory law) and cover a wide variety of legal topics. Courts often rely on statutes to resolve legal disputes (lawsuits) by applying the relevant statutes to the particular set of factual circumstances underlying the dispute.

Courts generally seek the clear and plain meaning of a statute, and if the court finds a statute ambiguous or “ambiguous on its face” (looking only at the words as written) the court may attempt to determine what the legislature intended in enacting the statute—known as legislative intent.

Related statutes are sometimes compiled in groups and referred to as codes—such as the penal code, the family code, or the code of civil procedure. Statutes may be amended (changed) or repealed (eliminated) by the legislature or Congress or declared unconstitutional (and thus unenforceable) by a court.

In California, statutes are laws enacted by the state legislature or the United States Congress. These laws encompass a broad range of legal areas and serve as a fundamental source of legal authority. When resolving disputes, California courts interpret these statutes by seeking their clear and plain meaning. If a statute is ambiguous, courts may look into legislative intent to understand what the legislature aimed to achieve when passing the law. California organizes related statutes into various codes, such as the Penal Code, Family Code, and Code of Civil Procedure, for easier reference and application. The state legislature has the power to amend or repeal statutes, and courts have the authority to declare statutes unconstitutional, rendering them unenforceable. This framework ensures that statutory law remains dynamic and responsive to changes in society and legal interpretation.