statute law

A law or rule of action prescribed or enacted by the legislative authority, and promulgated and recorded in writing; also, collectively, the enactments of a legislative a embly, in contradistinction to common law. *statute-merchant, s . English Law : A bond of record, acknowledged before the chief magistrate of some trading town, pursuant to statute 13 Edward I., on which if not paid at the day, an execution might be awarded against the body, lands, and goods of the obligor. "Statute-merchant [is] a bond acknowledged before one of the clerks of the statutes-merchant, and mayor of the staple, a chief warden of the citie of London, or two merchants of the said city, for that purpose a igned; or before the mayor, chief warden, or master of other cities or good towns, or other sufficient men for that purpose appointed: sealed with the seal of the debtor and the king, which is of two pieces; the greater is kept by the said merchant, ., and the le by the said clerk." Blount . 1. Standing or position in society, or as regards being at first in the form of a roll. ( Hallam.) rank or condition. 2. Position of affairs. Status quo : The condition in which a thing or things were at first; as, a treaty between two States, which leaves each in statu quo antea , i. e., in the same position as they were, before the war began, stăt-ut-a-ble, a. [Eng. statut (e); -able .] 1. Made or introduced by statute; proceeding from an act of the legislature. "They spend no more time in the university than is nece ary to give them a statutable claim to graduation." -Knox: Liberal Education . 2. Made or being in conformity with statute; standard. stăt-ut-a-bly, adv . [English statutab ( le ): -ly .] In a manner agreeable to statute; in accordance or conformity with statute. "The servant whom he originally statutably empowered to convey him and his."- Field , Dec. 19, 1885.