9 Municipal Law
Municipal law is the law of cities, towns, and counties.
Some local governments have a comparable structure to federal and state governments, with executives (mayors, county executives, town managers) and legislatures (city council, county legislature, board of selectmen) and administrative agencies to implement regulations. Other, smaller, municipalities may have different organizational frameworks.
What does municipal law consist of?
State statutory codes prescribe many of the powers and duties of local governments and provide for the publication of ordinances and bylaws.
Municipal charters, like constitutions, serve as the governing document for the municipality.
Ordinances and bylaws are the laws issued by the municipality, and the rules pertinent to the municipality’s operations and conduct of business. Just like a state or federal code is an organized compilation of state or federal laws, a municipal code is an organized compilation of municipal ordinances and bylaws.
Where can you find municipal law?
The clerk’s office in each municipality maintains its local laws. Most municipalities also make their laws available online, via the city or town’s website. You may also be able to find municipal laws through providers such as Lexis and Municode.