He thinks the only good reason for enforcing statutes whose wisdom he doubts is to protect the legislature's ability to coordinate social behaviour.

Special constables have the powers of a police officer to enforce federal statutes and various provincial statutes while in the execution of their duties.

Like New York, Boston has also focused on enforcing statutes against graffiti, truancy, noise and other so-called quality-of-life crimes in cutting the crime rate.

In the modern era, the Court has only done so where the federal government compels the states to enforce federal statutes.

Until then, authorities could begin to enforce existing criminal statutes penalizing slavery, kidnapping, forced prostitution and forced labor to prosecute trafficking offenses.

When federal authorities got serious about enforcing anti-polygamy statutes in the 1880s, the Mormons resisted by ignoring the law.

In Massachusetts and New York, agents of humane societies and associations may be appointed as special officers to enforce statutes outlawing animal cruelty.

This task was, for the most part, carried out by the CIB, which was also responsible for more menial tasks such as enforcing federal statutes.

The issue is technical but critically important: whether individuals can enforce the Medicaid law or other statutes that provide benefits to millions of Americans.

Since then, Mr. Roberts has been involved in several of the most important Supreme Court cases limiting the use of private lawsuits to enforce federal statutes.