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 Statutes may be amended (changed) or repealed (eliminated) by the legislature or Congress or declared unconstitutional (and thus unenforceable) by a court.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 that have been enacted by the state legislature or the United States Congress. These laws encompass a broad range of legal subjects and are a fundamental source of legal authority. Arkansas courts interpret these statutes when resolving legal disputes by applying the law to the facts of each case. 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, Arkansas courts may look into the legislative history and intent behind the law to interpret its meaning. Statutes in Arkansas, as well as at the federal level, are often organized into codes based on related subject matter, such as the Arkansas Criminal Code or the Arkansas Civil Code. These statutes can be updated or modified by the legislature, and in some cases, they may be struck down by the courts if found to be unconstitutional.