United States Code

United States Code

The United States Code (USC) is the codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. It is divided into 53 titles that represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation. The organization of the Code was originally established by the House of Representatives in 1926 and has been updated periodically since. Each title in the USC is updated once a year if the law has changed. The official text of an Act of Congress is that of the "enrolled bill" (traditionally printed on parchment) presented to the President for his signature or disapproval. Upon enactment of a law, the original bill is transferred to the Archivist of the United States, after which the Office of the Federal Register (OFR) prepares a slip law, which is the official publication of the law and is sequentially numbered by Congress. Public laws are then reorganized by subject matter in the United States Code.

Structure

The USC is divided into titles based on subject matter. Each title is subdivided into chapters, which in turn are divided into sections. Sections are the basic unit of the code. For example, Title 18 of the United States Code covers crimes and criminal procedure. This title contains numerous sections, such as Section 111 regarding assault on a federal officer. The titles vary in length and subject matter, from Title 1 (General Provisions) to Title 53 (Small Business).

Publication

The Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the United States House of Representatives is tasked with maintaining and publishing the Code. The Code is published every six years with annual cumulative supplements that detail changes made in the interim. The official version of the Code is available in print and, more recently, online through various legal and governmental platforms.

Legal Status

The United States Code, while an important legal document, does not include every statute passed by Congress. It omits private laws, temporary provisions, and laws deemed obsolete or superseded. The legal status of the Code is somewhat complex. While the Code itself does not have the force of law in cases where the statute it is based on has been amended or repealed, the courts generally use the Code as a reliable evidence of laws in force.

Usage

The USC is used by lawyers, judges, and others in the legal profession to locate federal statutes. It is also a valuable tool for researchers, scholars, and students who seek to understand federal statutory law. The USC's organization and indexing make it easier to find relevant statutes than sifting through individual session laws.

Amendments

Amendments to the laws within the United States Code are made by subsequent acts of Congress. New laws can add to, modify, or repeal existing laws. The process of integrating these changes into the existing framework of the Code can be complex, requiring careful editorial work to ensure that the Code remains an accurate and up-to-date reflection of current law.

Criticism and Challenges

The main challenge in maintaining the USC is ensuring that it accurately reflects current law, given the volume of legislation passed by Congress and the complexity of the laws themselves. Critics also point to the difficulty of navigating the Code for those without legal training, although online access and search capabilities have made it more accessible to the general public.