Substantive Law in United States

Substantive Law Definition

That portion of the body of the law which contains the rights and duties and the regulations of government, as opposed to that part which contains the rules and remedies by which the substantive law is administered. The latter is called, in opposition to substantive law, the adjective law, or the remedial law. The exact boundary between the two is difficult of definition, and has been the cause of much learned discussion.

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Legal Issue for Attorneys

That portion of the body of the law which contains the rights and duties and the regulations of government, as opposed to that part which contains the rules and remedies by which the substantive law is administered. The latter is called, in opposition to substantive law, the adjective law, or the remedial law. The exact boundary between the two is difficult of definition, and has been the cause of much learned discussion.

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This definition of Substantive Law is based on The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary. This entry needs to be proofread.

Practical Information

Note: Some of this information was last updated in 1982

The part of the law that creates, defines and regulates rights and duties. Substantive law is opposed to adjective or procedural law, which provides the method of administering and protecting the rights, duties, and obligations created by substantive law. All statutes of a general nature are substantive law. all case law (in U.S. law), except the decisions interpreting administrative regulations, codes of procedure, and court rules, are substantive law. For example, the right of administration of an estate is substantive; the procedures by which the estate can be administered are adjective law. The line of distinction between the two is narrow and often hard to define.

(Revised by Ann De Vries)

What is Substantive Law?

For a meaning of it, read Substantive Law in the Legal Dictionary here. Browse and search more U.S. and international free legal definitions and legal terms related to Substantive Law.

Substantive Law in the Context of Law Research

The Thurgood Marshall School of Law Library defined briefly Substantive Law as: That law which establishes rights and obligations, as distinguished from procedural law, which is concerned with rules for establishing their judicial enforcement supersede—to displace or to supplant one publication or its segment with another.Legal research resources, including Substantive Law, help to identify the law that governs an activity and to find materials that explain that law.

Meaning of Substantive Law

In plain or simple terms, Substantive Law means: The law dealing with rights, duties and liabilities, as contrasted with procedural law, which governs the technical aspects of enforcing civil or criminal laws.