Charter is

• A. A federal constitutional document defining national governance.
• B. Governing document of a home rule city. The charter outlines a home rule city's structure and powers.
• C. A local ordinance enacted by a city council.
• D. A court order establishing jurisdiction.

Answer: (B)

A city charter is the governing blueprint for a home-rule city. It lays out how the city government is organized—such as whether there is a mayor and council, a city manager, or another structure—and what powers the city may exercise. Because home-rule cities adopt their own charters, the charter becomes the basic law for how the city operates, covering elections, budgeting, and how ordinances, contracts, and land use are handled. A charter can be amended by the voters as the city grows, within the bounds of the state constitution and statutes. It is not a federal constitutional document, not a local ordinance enacted by the city council, and not a court order establishing jurisdiction. In contrast, general-law cities rely on state statutes rather than an adopted charter.