Recital (law)

A recital in law is like the beginning of a storybook where the author tells you what happened before the story starts. In legal terms, it means that before passing a law, the lawmakers write a section at the beginning called a "recital," where they explain the reasons why the law is necessary.

Imagine someone wants to make it illegal to ride a bicycle without a helmet. Before making this law, the lawmakers will write a recital that explains why they think this law is important. They might say that riding without a helmet can cause serious head injuries, and that helmets have been proven to reduce the risk of injury.

The recital is important because it helps the judges who will have to interpret the law in the future understand what the lawmakers were thinking when they passed the law. It helps them figure out what the law was intended to do, and how it should be applied in different situations.

So, think of a recital like the beginning of a storybook, where the author sets the stage for the story that's about to unfold. Only in the case of law, the recital sets the stage for the law that's about to be enforced.