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Simple English definitions for legal terms
reading
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A quick definition of reading:
Reading: When a group of people, like a government, wants to pass a new law, they have to read the law out loud a few times before they can vote on it. This is called reading. A special person called a reading clerk usually reads the law out loud. There are also other types of clerks, like city clerks who keep records for a city and town clerks who help with town meetings.
A more thorough explanation:
Reading is a term used in parliamentary law to refer to the recitation aloud of a bill or other main motion. This is usually done by title only and is often repeated three times before a legislative body can pass a bill.
A clerk is a public official whose duties include keeping records or accounts. There are different types of clerks, such as:
- City clerk: A public official who records a city's official proceedings and vital statistics.
- Town clerk: An officer who keeps the records, issues calls for town meetings, and performs the duties of a secretary to the town's political organization.
For example, when a bill is introduced in a legislative body, it must go through a series of readings before it can be passed into law. During each reading, the bill is recited aloud by the reading clerk, usually by title only. This process ensures that all members of the legislative body are aware of the contents of the bill before they vote on it.
Similarly, a city clerk is responsible for keeping records of all official proceedings that take place within a city, such as city council meetings. A town clerk performs similar duties for a town's political organization, such as keeping records of town meetings and issuing calls for such meetings.