Lex lata definition

Literally "the law borne," i.e. ratified. Cf. legislator who makes laws, lit. "bearer of the law."

1997, Lyal S Sunga, The Emerging System of International Criminal Law http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&vid=ISBN9041104720&id=Dbb8eQH-vbQC&pg=PA127&lpg=PA127&sig=3A8fBOXMx7bQAO7AWXOIUA6Lzyw

At that point, little purpose would be served in maintaining categories fashioned so closely to the lex lata that the Code would crystallize traditional technical distinctions.
2000, Nikolaos K. Tsagourias, The Jurisprudence of International Law http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&vid=ISBN0719054656&id=V_YiUMuaIQwC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&sig=Gpm22qlBVtypDtVqQreLbz6pDrw

This also betrays an interest in transforming world order by approximating lex lata with lex ferenda.
2002, Netherlands Yearbook of International Law, 2001 http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&vid=ISBN9067041556&id=7tV2LgZzjn8C&lpg=PA5&pg=PA4&sig=tqI91yfti-e5shuss0twPraRca8

Lex ferenda serves as a label for something which has at least conceptual existence, as a contrast or opposite to lex lata, the law that exists and obliges the subjects of law to adopt, or to refrain from, certain defined courses of conduct in certain defined circumstances.