LexBrew
Usage Entry 1339 / 1350 60-second read

Law vs. Legislation

The rule or system of rules (broad) versus specific statutes enacted by a legislature.

The comparisoni

✗ Wrong

Common-law precedent is legislation.

✓ Correct

Common-law precedent is law but not legislation — legislation is specifically statutes passed by a legislature. Law also includes case law and constitutions.

The ruleii

LAW = all. LEGISLATION = statutes.

LAW is the full system of rules — statutes, case law, constitutions, regulations. LEGISLATION is specifically statutes enacted by a legislature (Acts of Congress, Acts of Parliament). All legislation is law; not all law is legislation — judicial precedent and constitutional clauses are also law.

Memory aidiii

Remember it like this

Law broad. Legislation statutes.

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