Declaratory
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia · John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
Something which explains or ascertains what before was uncertain or doubtful: as, a declaratory statlaw or the right, as it stood previous to the statute; Sedgw. Stat. & Const. L. 28; they are usually passed to put an end to a doubt as to what the law is, and declare what it is and what it has been.
1 Bla. Corn. 86.
Very many of the state statutes in this country are declaratory of the common law, and were not passed to quiet a doubt but to incorporate into the law of the state wellsettled common-law principles. As to declaratory statutes, see Statutes.