How to read the law? Understand sections and quotes, because ignorance of the law is no excuse

Why navigate the law?

Each of us is subject to the law. Whether we are buying a fridge, signing an employment contract or getting divorced, we are always within a legal framework that determines what we can and cannot do and what follows. And be warned: ignorance of the law is no excuse. This basic legal principle means that we cannot use the excuse that we “didn’t know”. For example, if you don’t check that you need planning permission, you could face a fine, even if you ‘only’ put up a shed and didn’t know it had to be by law.

Where to look for the latest version of the law?

A good starting point is the official statute book or the public administration portal. However, the texts there tend to be less clear, with no division into thematic sections. That is why we have prepared a new feature for you: on the website of the Accessible Lawyer you will now find clear and easy-to-read texts of selected laws. Visit the Laws page, where you can browse the Civil Code, the Labour Code or the Penal Code, for example, in a modern and easy-to-understand format.

What the law looks like and how to read it

The law is not a novel, but it has a structure. It is important to know this so that you can quickly find your way around the text. It is most often divided into:

• Parts (e.g. Part One – general provisions)
• Titles (e.g. Title II – family law)
• Sections (e.g. Section 3 – maintenance)
• Paragraphs (denoted by a section symbol, e.g. Section 760)
• Paragraphs, letters and points (e.g. Section 35(2)(a))

The basic unit of the Act is the section. Each section is a separate rule, but is often related to the preceding or following provisions. Therefore, an important rule applies: Never read a section in isolation. Always read it in context – that is, together with what precedes and follows it.

How do you read a paragraph and understand it?

Let us imagine a concrete example: section 23(1) of Act No. 262/2006 Coll., the Labour Code:
“An employee has the right to wages, salary or remuneration for work performed.” In human terms: if you work, you must be paid for it. Exceptions may be listed in other paragraphs (e.g. unpaid internship agreement), so always read the whole paragraph and its continuation. The law has a general rule (e.g. the right to be paid) and then provides exceptions, conditions or clarifications (when this does not apply, what must be observed, etc.).

Why are laws numbered so complicated?

You may be put off by the numbering of laws such as “No. 89/2012 Coll.” or “No 262/2006 Coll.”. There is a rule for that too. The first number indicates the order in which the law was adopted in a given year. The second number is the year of enactment. Sb. indicates that it is the Collection of Laws. Thus, Act No. 89/2012 Coll., the Civil Code, is the 89th Act issued in 2012.

Thanks to this marking, it is possible to precisely trace the current and historical wording of the law, which is crucial, for example, when dealing with contracts concluded in the past.

How to quote the law (not only when you are defending yourself)

If you want to refer to a specific law (for example, in a claim, when writing an application or even in a regular email) it will be useful to know how to cite the law correctly. A certain standard applies. For example, “According to Section 5(2) of Act No. 89/2012 Coll., the Civil Code…”

This will pinpoint:

• the paragraph (§ 5),
• paragraph (paragraph 2),
• the number of the law (89/2012 Coll.),
• the name of the law (Civil Code).

This makes it absolutely clear what you are referring to. This will be appreciated by courts, authorities and lawyers.

The way you cite the law may vary slightly depending on whether you are writing a professional text, a court submission or an email to customer support. In legal practice, the full citation is often given, including the title of the law and the Collection number. However, in everyday communication, a simplified form (e.g. “Section 209 of the Criminal Code”) is sometimes sufficient, especially if it is clear from the context which law is being referred to. In addition, in academic texts, a footnote with the effective date or a reference to the specific version of the law is added. When writing public documents, it is advisable to be as precise as possible and thus more credible.

The most common legal terms

Laws use their own specific terminology. There is no need to be afraid of it, it is often a repetitive term that is easy to understand:

• Subject – the person or institution to which the rule applies.
• Legal action – anything you do that has legal consequences (e.g. signing a contract).
• Performance – what you are obliged to give, do or provide to another party.
• Provision – another name for a part of a law, usually a specific section.
• Unless otherwise stated – often means that the rule applies generally, but the law in another section may allow an exception.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse – what does this mean in practice?

The principle “ignorance of the law is no excuse” (Latin: ignorantia legis non excusat) is one of the fundamental pillars of the legal system. It means that every citizen is obliged to know the law or at least to find out about it. In other words, you cannot defend yourself by saying that you did not know something.

How it works in practice:

Are you self-employed and don’t know that you have to pay health insurance premiums? You won’t be fined anyway.

Do you violate copyright law because you “didn’t know it was illegal to download music”? You are still liable.

That’s why it pays to know the basic legal rules – and if in doubt, consult a professional.

Although this may seem like a hard rule, there are exceptions to this principle in legal practice. In particular, when the law is so unintelligible or internally contradictory that it cannot be understood even by an ordinarily informed citizen. In such a case, the court may take into account the fact that one was not objectively able to ascertain the correct legal position.

Another exception may be where the State itself creates legal uncertainty, for example by publishing two conflicting methodological interpretations or legal opinions. However, such cases are very few and are usually dealt with only by the Constitutional Court or the Supreme Court.

Summary

Laws touch everyone’s daily life – whether it’s buying an appliance, working or family relationships – and ignorance of them is no excuse. It is therefore important to be able to navigate the law, understand its structure (parts, titles, sections, paragraphs, etc.) and know the basic legal concepts. When reading laws, it is crucial not to see a section in isolation, but in the context of the whole provision, including exceptions. The current text of statutes can be found in the statute book or on the public administration portal; the Accessible Advocate website offers a clearer format. It is also important to be able to cite the law correctly, which is useful in complaints, applications and in everyday communication with the authorities. Although the principle of “ignorance of the law is no excuse” applies, exceptional cases of legal uncertainty or incomprehensibility of the law can be taken into account.