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 Statutes may be amended (changed) or repealed (eliminated) by the legislature or Congress or declared unconstitutional (and thus unenforceable) by a court.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 Maryland, as in other states, statutes are laws enacted by the state legislature, known as the Maryland General Assembly, which includes the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate. These statutes address a wide range of legal topics and are essential for the functioning of the state's legal system. Federal laws, on the other hand, are passed by the United States Congress and apply nationwide. Maryland courts interpret these statutes when resolving legal disputes by seeking the clear and plain meaning of the law. If a statute is ambiguous, courts may look into legislative intent to ascertain what the Maryland General Assembly or Congress meant when enacting the law. Maryland's statutes are organized into codes, such as the Maryland Criminal Law Code, the Maryland Family Law Article, and the Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Code. These codes facilitate legal research and organization of the law. Statutes can be updated or repealed by the legislature, and they can also be struck down by the courts if found to be unconstitutional.