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Simple English definitions for legal terms
codify
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A quick definition of codify:
Term: Codify
Definition: Codify means to organize laws, rules, or regulations into a clear and easy-to-understand system. This helps people find and understand the laws better. It doesn't create new laws, but it arranges existing laws by subject. For example, in the United States, laws passed by Congress are organized by subject in the United States Code. This makes it easier for people to find and understand the laws. Sometimes, when judges need to understand a law better, they go back to the original law or court decision.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: To codify means to organize laws, rules, or regulations into a systematic code. This process involves taking existing laws and arranging them into a code, usually by subject. Codification does not create new laws, but rather makes existing laws easier to access and understand.
Example: In the United States, acts of Congress are codified chronologically in the order in which they became law at Congress.gov. Additionally, the United States Code codifies federal statutes by subject matter. For example, Title 18 of the United States Code contains all federal criminal laws.
Explanation: The example illustrates how codification organizes laws by subject matter, making it easier for legal professionals and the general public to access and understand the laws. The United States Code is a uniform source that contains all federal laws, making it easier to find information and identify inconsistencies or ambiguities in the law.
However, courts may still refer back to the original legislation or judicial proceeding when interpreting a codified law to understand the intent of the creator of the law.