Statute

[1][2][better source needed] Statutes may originate with the legislative body of a country, state or province, county, or municipality.

Such publications have a habit of starting small but growing rapidly over time, as new statutes are enacted in response to the exigencies of the moment.

Eventually, persons trying to find the law are forced to sort through an enormous number of statutes enacted at various points in time to determine which portions are still in effect.

The solution adopted in many countries is to organize existing statutory law in topical arrangements (or "codified") within publications called codes, then ensure that new statutes are consistently drafted so that they add, amend, repeal or move various code sections.

In turn, in theory, the code will thenceforth reflect the current cumulative state of the statutory law in that jurisdiction.