What is legislation?

Legislation refers specifically to the process of creating laws through a formal system, typically by a governing body such as a parliament or legislature. This definition emphasizes that legislation is primarily the act of enacting statutes or laws that have been proposed, debated, and passed by such bodies. This process is essential in establishing legal frameworks that govern a society and ensure order, safety, and fairness in various aspects of life.

The other options pertain to different aspects of the legal system. Administrative rules imposed by agencies are guidelines and regulations that agencies develop to implement laws but are not themselves laws in the legislative sense. The body of laws governing civil disputes refers to the specific laws that address non-criminal cases, known as civil law, which stems from legislation but is not the act of making laws itself. Judicial interpretations involve courts interpreting and applying existing laws to specific cases, clarifying how those laws should be understood and enforced, rather than making new laws.

Thus, the core definition of legislation as the act of making laws effectively captures its unique role in the legal system.