Statute

A statute is a formal, written law of a country or state, written and enacted by its legislative authority, ratified by the highest executive in the government and published. Sometimes informally referred to as "black letter law."

The term statute is sometimes also used to refer to an international treaty that establishes a Court, for example the Statute of the International Court of Justice and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The term statute is also sometimes used to refer to international agreements establishing institutions other than courts or tribunals, such as the Statute of the European Central Bank (a protocol to the Treaty of Maastricht).