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Statutory law is the written, formal laws created by a legislative body through the statute process. In the United States, this means laws enacted by Congress at the federal level and by state legislatures at the state level. Once passed, these laws are codified into statutes that establish rights, duties, and prohibitions.

This is different from administrative rules, which are regulations issued by government agencies to implement and enforce statutes; and from court decisions interpreting statutes, which are case law that applies or clarifies how the statute works in specific situations. Local ordinances are laws enacted by cities or counties and also fall under the broad idea of statutory law, but the key point here is that statutory law refers to the written laws created by a legislative body, with Congress provided as the example.