In reference to law, “municipal” is used primarily as a descriptive term to denote a relationship to a municipality, that is, a city or town government.
Some common uses of the term “municipal” in a legal sense include:
- "Municipal corporation" refers to an entity such as a city or town, that has been incorporated by a state and is authorized to administer local, governmental affairs.
- “Municipal court” refers to a lower court that has been given jurisdiction by state statutes over municipal ordinances and other matters.
- Examples of “municipal ordinances” include noise and zoning ordinances.
- The Codified Laws of South Dakota cover other common municipal categories, including municipal bonds, municipal parks, municipal utilities, and municipal power agencies.
See Wex’s list of state laws establishing municipal governments for additional examples.
[Last updated in June of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]