ABSTRACT

This chapter looks at an extract from perhaps the most recognisable legal genre: the statute. Statutes state what the law is. But the present division of labour between legal professionals and the general public is reflected in the fact that statutes are rarely read outside the legal profession. Reading a statute, calls for familiarity with basic genre features even in order to find information let alone understand legal import and consequences. The chapter explores the statute's text-mapping features and strategies adopted for directing readers towards information they will need. Using one text – in fact, only part of one text – to illustrate a genre consisting of many different pieces of legislation, produced in different areas of law and over a number of centuries, calls for comment. The chapter presents one particular piece of legislation: a relatively minor piece of legislation called the Riding Establishments Act 1970 from the UK.