Glossary
Ordinance
A law passed by a local government: city council, county commission, or similar. Ordinances cover local matters like zoning, noise, parking, business licenses, and minor offenses.
Ordinances operate at a smaller scale than statutes but are real law. Violating a city noise ordinance can result in a fine. Violating a zoning ordinance can result in an order to tear down a structure. Local prosecutions for ordinance violations are usually handled in city or municipal court.
Ordinances can't conflict with state law. If they do, the state law wins (under what's called "preemption").