What is an "annotated statute"?

An "annotated statute" refers to a statute that includes additional commentary, explanations, interpretations, and references to case law and other legal materials. This feature of annotated statutes provides context and clarity to the text by highlighting important judicial interpretations, related statutes, and practical implications, enhancing the reader's understanding of how the statute is applied and interpreted in legal contexts.

Annotated statutes serve as valuable resources for legal practitioners and researchers because they not only present the original text of the law but also include insights and analyses that can guide decision-making and legal arguments. The annotations can include summaries of important court decisions that have interpreted the statute, cross-references to related laws, and other relevant information that facilitates a thorough understanding of the statutory provisions.

In distinguishing this from the other choices, it is clear that an annotated statute is not simply a statute without comments or interpretations, as that would lack the essential annotations that provide legal context. Likewise, it is not merely a summarized version in simple language, which would represent a simplification rather than an enhancement of the legal text. Additionally, it is not a historical document; while historical context may be part of the annotations, the primary purpose of annotated statutes is to provide current, practical interpretations rather than historical records. Thus, choosing the