AskDefine | Define codified

Dictionary Definition

codified See codifycodified adj : enacted by a legislative body; "statute law"; "codified written laws" [syn: statute(p)]codify v : organize into a code or system, such as a body of law; "Hamurabi codified the laws" [also: codified]

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  1. past of codify

Extensive Definition



Another early system of laws is Hindu law framed by Manu and called as Manu Smriti. The Qur'an and Sunnah are also occasionally used as civil codes in Islamic Sharia law to some extent.

Codification in common law and civil law jurisdictions

Contrary to popular belief, the common law has been codified in many jurisdictions in many areas; examples include the Law of General Obligations of New York State, the English law relating to Marine insurance, which was originally judge-made common law, and the California Civil Code.
In civil law jurisdictions, codification has also occurred in many areas. Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were most notable codifications of law in the Central and Eastern Europe of the 16th century. The codification movement developed out of the philosophy of the Enlightenment and began in several European countries during the late 18th century (see civil code). However, it only gained significant momentum with the enactment of the French Napoleonic Code in 1804.

Example: Codification in the United States

In the United States, acts of Congress, such as federal statutes, are published chronologically in the order in which they become law — often by being signed by the President, on an individual basis in official pamphlets called "slip laws," and are grouped together in official bound book form, also chronologically, as "session laws." The "session law" publication for Federal statutes is called the United States Statutes at Large. Any given act may be only one page long, or hundreds of pages, in length. An act may be classified as either a "Public Law" or a "Private Law."
Because each Congressional act may contain laws on a variety of topics, many acts, or portions thereof are also rearranged and published in a topical, subject matter codification. The official codification of Federal statutes is called the United States Code. Generally, only "Public Laws" are codified. The United States Code is divided into "titles" (based on overall topics) numbered 1 through 50. Title 18, for example, contains many of the Federal criminal statutes. Title 26 is the Internal Revenue Code.
Further, portions of some Congressional acts, such as the provisions for the effective dates of amendments to codified laws, are themselves not codified at all. These statutes may by found by referring to the acts as published in "slip law" and "session law" form. However, commercial publications that specialize in legal materials often arrange and print the uncodified statutes with the codes to which they pertain.


codified in Czech: Kodifikace
codified in German: Kodifikation
codified in Spanish: Codificación (Derecho)
codified in French: Codification (droit)
codified in Italian: Codificazione
codified in Hebrew: קודיפיקציה
codified in Lithuanian: Kodifikacija
codified in Dutch: Codificatie
codified in Japanese: 法典化
codified in Polish: Kodyfikacja
codified in Swedish: Kodifikation
codified in Vietnamese: Pháp điển hóa
codified in Turkish: Kodifikasyon
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