ABSTRACT
A CLEAR-CU T distinctio n mus t b e mad e betwee n stat e la w an d statute. Stat e law is created b y th e state , no t indee d a s t o it s form, bu t a s to its content; i t is law that cam e into being solely through th e state , an d tha t coul d no t exis t withou t th e state . The for m i n which i t arises is immaterial . No t every statutor y precept contain s stat e law. Ther e ar e statute s whose sol e func - tion i s to create the inne r orde r fo r a lega l relation , e.g. articles of association , regulation s for the conduct of a commercial enterprise; moreover the state can enter int o a contract by enacting a statute. Article s of association , regulation of commercia l enter - prises, contrac t do not become state law because they have been put int o statutor y form ; the y remain what they were , the inner order of a legal relation. I n the same way, jurist-made law can be put int o statutor y form , i.e . the legislato r may confin e himself , in th e manner o f the jurist , t o universalizing, reducing to unity , to findin g norm s accordin g to wha t seems to hi m to b e justice. The resolution s o f man y mediaeva l corporat e bodie s o f th e state, especiall y of the Germa n Die t an d o f the Englis h Parliament, normall y were Weistumer, 1 i.e. they were juristi c la w not only i n content bu t als o i n form. O n the othe r han d stat e law can come into existence not only in the form of statutes, bu t also in th e for m o f administrative or police regulation, of magisterial law, o f judge-made law . Th e Roma n praeto r wa s essentiall y a Gerichtsherr2; hi s praetoria n edic t therefor e contain s mostl y magisterial la w (Amtsrechi), occasionall y whe n hi s objec t wa s
merely t o resolv e doubt s an d difficulties , judge-mad e law ; bu t the edictum de posiio et suspenso or de caliimniatoribus is state law, police regulation , and crimina l law . Th e Englis h judges, actin g as organs of the state, have created th e mos t importan t parts of the Englis h crimina l la w o f th e stat e i n thei r lega l decisions . English equit y also contain s muc h state law.
