Statute

I am the agent for the fictional strawman that was created with the name Sarah Goldsmith made this Freedom of Information request to Ministry of Justice This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

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I am the agent for the fictional strawman that was created with the name Sarah Goldsmith

Dear Ministry of Justice,

Please supply me withe the information you hold that records the Ministry Of Justice's official definition of the word 'Statute', as used in the UK.

Yours faithfully,

Sarah Goldsmith

Becky Bbear left an annotation ()

Sarah - Statute is the term used to distinguish enactments (the official 'written' law) from 'case law' (law derived from decisions/interpretations made in Court).

Without at least a basic understanding of legal structures/terms its kind of hard to explain, but an example of each could be:

(i) An Act of Parliament is a Statute.

(ii) A ruling by a judge on how that 'statute' should be interpreted/applied is 'case law'.

The practical difference being that only Government can make/change statute, while case law can be re-interpreted over time without actually changing the law itself. Interpretations like this are known as 'precedent' - becoming the 'official' way in which a paticular law is interpreted/applied by the Court, where the actual law is open to different interpretations.

The first time a Court makes such a ruling, it is 'setting a precedent' - this is also the origin of the term 'unprecedented', meaning in context something new. Case law is just the 'history' of precedents set over time by different courts/judges.

May help to check out your local library for a good basic legal primer/lexicon.

Becky

I am the agent for the fictional strawman that was created with the name Sarah Goldsmith left an annotation ()

Thank you Becky

my question was directed at the MoJ therefore they are bound by LAW to answer me... Sarah

Becky Bbear left an annotation ()

Sarah - sure is, never suggested otherwise - just thought you would appreciate having the answer now rather than waiting.

Becky

I am the agent for the fictional strawman that was created with the name Sarah Goldsmith

Dear Ministry of Justice,

Just a reminder that your response is now overdue

Yours faithfully,

Sarah

I am the agent for the fictional strawman that was created with the name Sarah Goldsmith

Dear Ministry of Justice,

Another reminder that you are breaking the law.....

Yours faithfully,

Sarah Goldsmith

Williams, Tania, Ministry of Justice

1 Attachment

Dear Sarah Goldsmith,
 
Please see attached letter in response to your email of 25 November 2011.
 
Best wishes,
 
Tania Williams.
 

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I am the agent for the fictional strawman that was created with the name Sarah Goldsmith

Dear Williams, Tania,

Thank you for your prompt and courteous response.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Goldsmith