What defines statutory law?

Statutory law is defined as law that is enacted by a governing legislature. This type of law is created through a formal legislative process that includes drafting, debating, and voting by elected representatives or lawmakers. Once the legislature passes a bill, it becomes statutory law when it is signed by the president or governor—depending on the level of government—and is made applicable to the public.

Statutory law differs from other forms of law such as common law, which is established through judicial decisions and precedents set by court rulings. While regulations enacted by administrative agencies are also a form of law, they are derived from the authority granted to these agencies by statutory law and do not originate directly from the legislature itself.