What is the difference between federal, state and local law?

In the United States, we have three levels of government that are responsible for governing the laws: federal, state, and local. Federal law is established by the United States Congress and applies to the entirety of the country. State law is established by each individual state’s legislature and applies to people living within that state. Local laws, also known as municipal or city laws, are created by a city, county, village, or town and apply to their specific areas. Federal law is the highest form of law in the U.S. These laws are designed to protect the rights of everyone in the country, regardless of their geography. They also govern the interactions between the states, and they establish certain rights that must be upheld by the states. An example of a federal law is the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, age, and other characteristics. State law governs matters that are specific to a single state, such as driver’s license requirements, tax laws, and certain aspects of criminal justice. An example of a state law is North Carolina’s Right to Work law, which prohibits employers from requiring workers to join labor unions. Finally, local laws are designed to govern matters that are specific to a certain city, town, or county. Local laws are usually created by the elected officials of the local government. An example of a local law in North Carolina is the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Noise Ordinance, which regulates the level of noise that businesses and residents can produce in certain areas. In summary, federal law sets the nationwide legal framework, state law governs matters specific to the state, and local law governs matters specific to a city, county, or town.

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