What is the difference between a general statute and a specific statute?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from Dep't of Fair Emp't & Hous. v. Cathy's Creations, Inc., 269 Cal.Rptr.3d 1, 54 Cal.App.5th 404 (Cal. App. 2020):

provisions take precedence over more general ones [citation], " but when these two rules are in conflict, "the rule that specific provisions take precedence over more general ones trumps the rule that later-enacted statutes have precedence." ( Ibid. ) "The referent of general and specific is subject matter." ( People v. Weatherill (1989) 215 Cal.App.3d 1569, 1578, 264 Cal.Rptr. 298 [explaining code section that applies to all misdemeanors, and comprehends hundreds of misdemeanors "in scores of codes," is a general statute in comparison to code section dealing only with driving under the influence].)

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