U.s.c.

Definition

The term 'u.s.c.' stands for the United States Code, which is a compilation of federal statutes organized by subject matter. It serves as the official codification of general and permanent laws of the United States, making it easier to locate specific legal provisions. The U.S.C. is essential for legal research and citation, particularly in understanding how federal laws are structured and referenced in legal documents.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The U.S.C. is divided into 53 titles, each covering a specific area of law, such as immigration, commerce, and labor.
2. The laws included in the U.S.C. are organized thematically, making it easier to find related statutes across different subjects.
3. The U.S.C. is updated periodically to incorporate new legislation passed by Congress, ensuring it reflects current laws.
4. When citing the U.S.C., the standard format is 'Title U.S.C. § Section Number,' for example, '15 U.S.C. § 78.'
5. The U.S.C. does not include every law; it focuses on federal statutes that have general and lasting significance.

Review Questions

• How does the structure of the United States Code facilitate legal research and understanding?
  • The structure of the United States Code organizes federal laws into 53 distinct titles based on subject matter, allowing for efficient navigation when conducting legal research. This thematic organization enables users to quickly locate relevant statutes and understand their context within broader legal frameworks. By categorizing laws in this way, the U.S.C. supports both practitioners and scholars in finding specific legal provisions without having to sift through unorganized legislative texts.
• What role does codification play in maintaining the relevance and accessibility of U.S. laws within the U.S.C.?
  • Codification plays a critical role in maintaining the relevance and accessibility of U.S. laws by systematically compiling and arranging statutes into an organized code. This process ensures that laws are presented in a coherent manner, facilitating easier reference and understanding. Regular updates to the U.S.C. reflect new legislation and changes to existing laws, thus preserving its utility as a comprehensive legal resource for lawmakers, lawyers, and citizens alike.
• Evaluate the impact of the U.S.C. on statutory interpretation and its implications for legal practice.
  • The United States Code significantly impacts statutory interpretation by providing a structured framework through which laws can be understood and applied in legal practice. The codification of laws into distinct titles allows courts, attorneys, and scholars to interpret statutes with reference to their organization and purpose within the broader legal system. This organization aids in clarifying legislative intent and promotes consistency in judicial rulings, ultimately influencing how laws are enforced and understood across various jurisdictions.

Related terms

Statutes: Written laws enacted by a legislative body at the federal or state level.

Codification: The process of compiling and arranging laws into a systematic code.

Citation: A reference that identifies a legal document, such as a statute or case law, allowing others to locate it easily.