Statutes are laws passed by state legislatures (state laws) and by the United States Congress (federal laws). Statutes are one of the primary sources of law in the United States (sometimes referred to as statutory law) and cover a wide variety of legal topics. Courts often rely on statutes to resolve legal disputes (lawsuits) by applying the relevant statutes to the particular set of factual circumstances underlying the dispute.

Courts generally seek the clear and plain meaning of a statute, and if the court finds a statute ambiguous or “ambiguous on its face” (looking only at the words as written) the court may attempt to determine what the legislature intended in enacting the statute—known as legislative intent.

Related statutes are sometimes compiled in groups and referred to as codes—such as the penal code, the family code, or the code of civil procedure. Statutes may be amended (changed) or repealed (eliminated) by the legislature or Congress or declared unconstitutional (and thus unenforceable) by a court.

In Arkansas, as in all states, statutes are laws enacted by the state legislature. These laws, along with federal laws passed by the United States Congress, form a significant part of the legal framework. Arkansas courts interpret and apply these statutes to resolve legal disputes by looking at the facts of each case in light of the relevant statutory provisions. When a statute's language is clear and unambiguous, courts will generally apply the statute according to its plain meaning. However, if a statute is ambiguous, courts may look into legislative history and other interpretive aids to ascertain the legislature's intent. Arkansas has various codes that compile related statutes, such as the Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated, which includes the penal code, family code, and code of civil procedure, among others. These statutes can be updated or modified by the Arkansas General Assembly and, on occasion, may be struck down by the judiciary if found to be unconstitutional.