Canon law
Canon law: The body of rules a church makes to govern its own organization, clergy, sacraments and members. The best-known example is the Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church, issued in 1983. Canon law binds members within the church, but civil courts in the United States do not enforce it as law, and the First Amendment generally keeps them from deciding church doctrine.
What canon law means
In practice, you will see canon law in pleadings, motions, orders and court rules. The definition above explains the general meaning. Even so, the meaning can shift with context. Therefore, always read it alongside the rule or document where it appears.
Where canon law comes up
The term is used across many kinds of cases. For example, you may see it in pleadings, motions and court orders. To see it in context, browse the motions and procedures library or the Learn the Law topics.
Read the source: Church.
How to research the term
Start with the primary source. For example, if canon law appears in a federal rule, read the rule itself and its official notes. After that, check your court’s local rules and any standing orders from the judge. In addition, search recent decisions from your own state or federal district. They show how courts read canon law in practice. Because state rules often differ, our state procedures guide links to each state’s official rules. Above all, make sure the version you read is still in force.
You can read the current federal court rules online for free.
Related legal terms
- Bound: legally required to follow or perform something.
- Brief: a written legal argument submitted to a court. Appellate briefs follow detailed rules on contents, length and format (Fed. R. App. P. 28, 32), and trial courts receive briefs supporting or opposing motions. An amicus curiae brief is filed by a non-party (Fed. R. App. P. 29).
- Burden of proof: the obligation to prove a fact or claim to the required standard.
- Canon: a rule or principle. In law, the word usually refers to the canons of construction, the rules courts use to interpret statutes and contracts, such as reading words in context. It also refers to rules of professional or judicial ethics, such as the Code of Conduct for United States Judges, and to the rules of a church.
Why precise terms matter
Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.
Sources
Sources last reviewed: 2026-10-24
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