Is There a Difference Between Federal and State Law?

In the United States, there are laws that apply at the federal, state, and local levels. State laws in the countries are codes of legislation and statutes that are considered separate from those in kept in federal legislation, which apply to the nation as a whole. State laws are meant to not only establish certain legal applications, but essentially exist as the internal structure for the state's government.

Therefore, all state laws are created and implemented by the states unto themselves. Laws that are created by the state will often times be based on federal laws as well, though certain changes may be applied to make a particular statute more strict.

An example can be in terms of the DUI laws that exist at the federal level. The federal laws regarding DUI BAC levels impose a national 0.08% limit. However, there are certain states that impose a lower limit and also a "zero tolerance" provision, further applying federal laws but making them more severe at the state level.

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