The organic law is the Constitution of Government, and is altogether written. Other written laws are denominated statutes. The written law of this State is therefore contained in its Constitution and statutes, and in the Constitution and statutes of the United States.
§ 1897.Written laws; constitution; statutes
Title 2. Of the Kinds and Degrees of Evidence · Chapter 3. Writings · Article 2. Public Writings · Enacted 1872 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1897 identifies California's organic law as its wholly written Constitution, labels other written laws as statutes, and states that the state's written law consists of its own Constitution and statutes together with the federal Constitution and statutes.
Full Text of § 1897
Plain-English Summary
This section applies the written-law definition from Section 1896 to identify exactly what counts as California's written law. The organic law, meaning the fundamental law of government, is the Constitution, and it is described as entirely written. Every other kind of written law is called a statute.
Putting those pieces together, the section states that California's written law consists of the state's own Constitution and statutes, plus the Constitution and statutes of the United States. That combination marks the full universe of written law binding within the state, as distinct from the unwritten law Section 1899 addresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is California's organic law under this section?
The Constitution, described here as altogether written.
What term does the section use for written laws other than the Constitution?
Statutes.
What together makes up California's written law?
The state's own Constitution and statutes, along with the Constitution and statutes of the United States.
Amendment History
(Enacted in 1872.)
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the West's Annotated California Codes / Thomson Reuters. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: california written law constitution statutesorganic law versus statutes definition