Parentheticals in California Statutes

September 9, 2022 6:37 amSeptember 9, 2022 6:43 am

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a parenthetical is “relating to or inserted as a parenthesis.” While we find the use of parentheticals in different forms of writing, are parentheticals used in California law? The answer is yes, they can...

Do Misspellings Get into California Statutes?

September 7, 2022 3:54 pmSeptember 7, 2022 3:57 pm

It may be a surprise, but occasionally a bill makes it all the way through the legislative process, and is enacted into law, and thereafter needs to be corrected because of a misspelling. The following is a recent example from...

Does a Legislative Resolution Prevail Over a Statute?

August 29, 2022 5:10 pmAugust 29, 2022 5:12 pm

The answer is obviously “no.” Or is it? According to the Office of Legislative Counsel, a statute is defined to be an enacted bill, which is chaptered by the Secretary of State. On the other hand, a resolution is used...

Drafting Definitions in California Statutes

July 13, 2022 7:27 amJuly 13, 2022 6:34 am

An important part of any statute is the section on definitions. Of course, definitions are used to explain what a particular word or phrase that is used in the statute means. Bill drafters always try to ensure that there is...

Some Commonly-Codified Statutory Interpretation Principles

July 8, 2022 6:29 amJuly 8, 2022 6:33 am

In California, each of the 29 Codes that contain all of the state’s statutes also contain general provisions that provide definitions, as well as certain statutory interpretation guidelines. So, what are some of those principles of interpreting California’s Code sections?...

What Is the Difference Between ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Laws?

June 12, 2022 2:40 pmJune 12, 2022 2:44 pm

Did you know that California statutes utilize the terms “new” and “old” in referencing laws contained in the state’s 29 Codes? In fact, the term “new law” is used in at least fifty statutes. The term “old law” is used...

How Many Sections Are in California’s Codes (Statutes)?

June 9, 2022 6:20 amJune 9, 2022 6:23 am

How Many Sections Are in California’s Codes (Statutes)? Have you ever wondered the answer to this question? No?! Perhaps I am the only one who has. The following are the number of actual sections contained in each of the 29...