Decree vs. Law — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 15, 2024
A decree is a binding decision by a legal authority without the legislative process, whereas a law is a formal, legislated rule binding on the community.
Difference Between Decree and Law
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A decree is typically issued by someone in a position of authority, such as a government executive or a judge, and is often specific to particular cases or circumstances. On the other hand, a law is created through a legislative process involving debate and approval by multiple branches of government, applying generally to everyone within a jurisdiction.
Decrees can be issued quickly to address urgent situations, often bypassing the longer legislative processes required for making laws. Whereas laws require proposals, discussions, amendments, and votes before they can be enacted, making them slower to adapt but more stable.
In legal hierarchy, decrees may be subordinate to laws as they cannot contradict existing statutory frameworks. Whereas laws are supreme rules of a land, established by elected legislative bodies and are intended to be more permanent and encompassing.
The enforcement of a decree can be immediate and is usually less debated once issued, focusing on immediate compliance. On the other hand, laws go through substantial scrutiny and public input before and after they are enacted, influencing their acceptance and enforcement.
Decrees are often used in administrative and emergency contexts, providing a tool for governments to respond to situations without waiting for legislative approval. Laws, however, are foundational elements of governance, defining rights, responsibilities, and penalties in a more structured and enduring manner.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A binding decision issued by an authority.
A rule established by government through legislation.
Issued By
Executives, judges, or heads of state.
Legislative bodies such as parliaments or congresses.
Scope
Specific cases or situations.
General applicability to all under the jurisdiction.
Legislative Process
No formal legislative process required.
Involves drafting, debating, voting, and official enactment.
Stability
Can be temporary or subject to change.
Generally permanent until amended or repealed.
Compare with Definitions
Decree
An order applicable to people or entities under a specific jurisdiction.
The local council’s decree effectively banned smoking in public areas.
Law
A rule enforced through institutions.
Local laws require pet owners to leash their dogs in public parks.
Decree
An administrative order without the need for legislative approval.
The emergency decree was issued to address the flooding crisis.
Law
A system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members.
The new traffic law increased the penalties for speeding.
Decree
A decision imposed by a court, often concluding a legal matter.
The court’s decree finalized the divorce proceedings.
Law
A statute, an act, or a decree made by a sovereign or public agency.
The privacy law was enacted to protect citizens' personal data.
Decree
A directive from a government official or agency.
The health department’s decree required restaurants to display calorie counts.
Law
Legislation passed by a governmental body.
The law regarding public health insurance was passed after extensive debate.
Decree
A formal and authoritative order, especially one having the force of law.
The president issued a decree to enforce new environmental standards.
Law
A binding rule established by authority, legislation, or custom.
According to law, taxpayers must submit returns by the April deadline.
Decree
A decree is a rule of law usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law.
Law
Law is a system of rules created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and the art of justice.
Decree
An authoritative order having the force of law.
Law
A rule of conduct or procedure established by custom, agreement, or authority.
Decree
The judgment of a court of equity.
Law
The body of rules and principles governing the affairs of a community and enforced by a political authority; a legal system
International law.
Decree
The judgment of a court.
Law
The condition of social order and justice created by adherence to such a system
A breakdown of law and civilized behavior.
Decree
A doctrinal or disciplinary act of an ecclesiastical authority.
Law
A set of rules or principles dealing with a specific area of a legal system
Tax law.
Criminal law.
Decree
An administrative act applying or interpreting articles of canon law.
Law
A statute, ordinance, or other rule enacted by a legislature.
Decree
To order, establish, or decide by decree
Decreed that the two kingdoms would be united.
Law
A judicially established legal requirement; a precedent.
Decree
To issue a decree.
Law
The system of judicial administration giving effect to the laws of a community
All citizens are equal before the law.
Decree
An edict or law.
Law
Legal action or proceedings; litigation
Submit a dispute to law.
Decree
(legal) The judicial decision in a litigated cause rendered by a court of equity.
Law
An impromptu or extralegal system of justice substituted for established judicial procedure
Frontier law.
Decree
(legal) The determination of a cause in a court of admiralty or court of probate.
Law
An agency or agent responsible for enforcing the law. Often used with the
"The law ... stormed out of the woods as the vessel was being relieved of her cargo" (Sid Moody).
Decree
(religion) A predetermination made by God; an act of providence.
Law
(Informal) A police officer. Often used with the.
Decree
To command by a decree.
A court decrees a restoration of property.
Law
The science and study of law; jurisprudence.
Decree
An order from one having authority, deciding what is to be done by a subordinate; also, a determination by one having power, deciding what is to be done or to take place; edict, law; authoritative ru decision.
There went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
Poor hand, why quiverest thou at this decree?
Law
Knowledge of law.
Decree
A decision, order, or sentence, given in a cause by a court of equity or admiralty.
Law
The profession of an attorney.
Decree
An edict or law made by a council for regulating any business within their jurisdiction; as, the decrees of ecclesiastical councils.
Law
Something, such as an order or a dictum, having absolute or unquestioned authority
The commander's word was law.
Decree
To determine judicially by authority, or by decree; to constitute by edict; to appoint by decree or law; to determine; to order; to ordain; as, a court decrees a restoration of property.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee.
Law
A body of principles or precepts held to express the divine will, especially as revealed in the Bible.
Decree
To ordain by fate.
Law
The first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Decree
To make decrees; - used absolutely.
Father eternal! thine is to decree;Mine, both in heaven and earth to do thy will.
Law
A code of principles based on morality, conscience, or nature.
Decree
A legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge);
A friend in New Mexico said that the order caused no trouble out there
Law
A rule or custom generally established in a particular domain
The unwritten laws of good sportsmanship.
Decree
Issue a decree;
The King only can decree
Law
A way of life
The law of the jungle.
Law
A statement describing a relationship observed to be invariable between or among phenomena for all cases in which the specified conditions are met
The law of gravity.
Law
A generalization based on consistent experience or results
The law of supply and demand.
Law
(Mathematics) A general principle or rule that is assumed or that has been proven to hold between expressions.
Law
A principle of organization, procedure, or technique
The laws of grammar.
The laws of visual perspective.
Law
(usually with "the") The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.
The courts interpret the law but should not make it.
In theory, entrapment is against the law.
Law
The body of such rules that pertain to a particular topic.
Property law
Commercial hunting and fishing law
Law
Common law, as contrasted with equity.
Law
A binding regulation or custom established in a community in this way.
There is a law against importing wallabies.
A new law forbids driving on that road.
The court ruled that the executive order was not law and nullified it.
Law
(more generally) A rule, such as:
Law
Any rule that must or should be obeyed, concerning behaviours and their consequences. mores.}}
"Do unto others as you wish them to do unto you" is a good law to follow.
The law of self-preservation
Law
A rule or principle regarding the construction of language or art.
The laws of playwriting and poetry
Law
A statement (in physics, etc) of an (observed, established) order or sequence or relationship of phenomena which is invariable under certain conditions. theory.}}
The laws of thermodynamics
Newton's third law of motion states that to every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.
This is one of several laws derived from his general theory expounded in the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica.
Law
A statement (of relation) that is true under specified conditions; a mathematical or logical rule.
Mathematical laws can be proved purely through mathematics, without scientific experimentation.
Law
Any statement of the relation of acts and conditions to their consequences.
The law of scarcity
The law of supply and demand
Law
(linguistics) A sound law; a regular change in the pronunciation of a language.
Grimm's law
Dahl's law
Law
(cricket) One of the official rules of cricket as codified by the its (former) governing body, the MCC.
Law
The control and order brought about by the observance of such rules.
They worked to maintain law and order.
It was a territory without law, marked by violence.
Law
(informal) A person or group that act(s) with authority to uphold such rules and order (for example, one or more police officers).
Here comes the law — run!
Then the law arrived on the scene
Law
The profession that deals with such rules (as lawyers, judges, police officers, etc).
He is studying for a career in law.
She has practiced law in New York for twenty years.
Law
Jurisprudence, the field of knowledge which encompasses these rules.
She went to university to study law.
Law
Litigation; legal action (as a means of maintaining or restoring order, redressing wrongs, etc).
They were quick to go to law.
Law
An allowance of distance or time (a head start) given to a weaker (human or animal) competitor in a race, to make the race more fair.
Law
(aviation) A mode of operation of the flight controls of a fly-by-wire aircraft.
Normal law; alternate law; direct law
Law
(fantasy) One of two metaphysical forces ruling the world in some fantasy settings, also called order, and opposed to chaos.
Law
An oath sworn before a court, especially disclaiming a debt. wager of law", "wage one's law", "perform one's law", "lose one's law".}}
Law
(obsolete) A tumulus of stones.
Law
A hill.
Law
A score; share of expense; legal charge.
Law
(obsolete) To work as a lawyer; to practice law.
Law
To prosecute or sue (someone), to litigate.
Law
(nonstandard) To rule over (with a certain effect) by law; to govern.
Law
(informal) To enforce the law.
Law
To subject to legal restrictions.
Law
(dated) An exclamation of mild surprise; lawks.
Law
In general, a rule of being or of conduct, established by an authority able to enforce its will; a controlling regulation; the mode or order according to which an agent or a power acts.
These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the Lord made.
The law of thy God, and the law of the King.
As if they would confine the Interminable . . . Who made our laws to bind us, not himself.
His mind his kingdom, and his will his law.
Law
In morals: The will of God as the rule for the disposition and conduct of all responsible beings toward him and toward each other; a rule of living, conformable to righteousness; the rule of action as obligatory on the conscience or moral nature.
Law
The Jewish or Mosaic code, and that part of Scripture where it is written, in distinction from the gospel; hence, also, the Old Testament.
What things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law . . . But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.
Law
An organic rule, as a constitution or charter, establishing and defining the conditions of the existence of a state or other organized community.
Law
In philosophy and physics: A rule of being, operation, or change, so certain and constant that it is conceived of as imposed by the will of God or by some controlling authority; as, the law of gravitation; the laws of motion; the law heredity; the laws of thought; the laws of cause and effect; law of self-preservation.
Law
In mathematics: The rule according to which anything, as the change of value of a variable, or the value of the terms of a series, proceeds; mode or order of sequence.
Law
In arts, works, games, etc.: The rules of construction, or of procedure, conforming to the conditions of success; a principle, maxim; or usage; as, the laws of poetry, of architecture, of courtesy, or of whist.
Law
Collectively, the whole body of rules relating to one subject, or emanating from one source; - including usually the writings pertaining to them, and judicial proceedings under them; as, divine law; English law; Roman law; the law of real property; insurance law.
Law
Legal science; jurisprudence; the principles of equity; applied justice.
Reason is the life of the law; nay, the common law itself is nothing else but reason.
Law is beneficence acting by rule.
And sovereign Law, that state's collected willO'er thrones and globes elate,Sits empress, crowning good, repressing ill.
Law
Trial by the laws of the land; judicial remedy; litigation; as, to go law.
When every case in law is right.
He found law dear and left it cheap.
Law
An oath, as in the presence of a court.
Law
An exclamation of mild surprise.
Law
Legal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity;
There is a law against kidnapping
Law
The collection of rules imposed by authority;
Civilization presupposes respect for the law
The great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order
Law
A generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature;
The laws of thermodynamics
Law
A rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society
Law
The learned profession that is mastered by graduate study in a law school and that is responsible for the judicial system;
He studied law at Yale
Law
The force of policemen and officers;
The law came looking for him
Law
The branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do
Common Curiosities
What is a decree?
A decree is an authoritative order issued by a person or body with administrative or judicial powers.
Can a decree override a law?
No, a decree cannot override existing laws; it must align with the legal framework.
Who can issue a decree?
Decrees can be issued by executives, judges, or heads of state depending on the legal system.
What is a law?
A law is a rule created and enforced by the governing bodies of a society to regulate behavior, with penalties for violations.
What happens if a decree conflicts with a law?
If a decree conflicts with a law, the law generally prevails unless amended or repealed by legislative action.
Are decrees used internationally?
Yes, decrees are used in various forms across different countries and legal systems.
How is a decree different from a law?
A decree is typically more specific and issued by individual authorities, whereas a law involves a legislative process and broader applicability.
What are some examples of laws?
Examples include criminal laws, civil laws, and administrative laws.
How are laws enforced?
Laws are enforced through governmental institutions like police and courts.
How do decrees and laws affect everyday life?
Both decrees and laws significantly impact daily life by dictating and guiding acceptable behaviors and practices.
How do people challenge a decree?
Decrees can be challenged in court, particularly if they are deemed unjust or in violation of higher laws.
Can a law be temporary like some decrees?
Yes, some laws, often termed as "temporary measures," are designed to address specific situations for a limited time.
What role do decrees play in emergency situations?
In emergencies, decrees enable swift governmental action to manage the situation without the delay of legislative processes.
How does the public influence laws?
The public can influence laws through elections, public comments, and participating in legislative hearings.
What is the importance of laws in a society?
Laws provide the framework for order and governance, ensuring rights and responsibilities are upheld in a society.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
