# Quick & Easy Legal Question:

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-easy-legal-question/243761>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 6, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-easy-legal-question/243761 "2004-05-06T02:39:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-easy-legal-question/243761/1 "2004-05-06T02:39:45Z")

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If someone cites 35 U.S.C. 101, the first number is called what? Chapter, I WAG? (The second number in my example is the Section). In other words, when read aloud, it would be spoken as: “Chapter 35, Section 101 of the USC” is that correct?

Thanks,

- Jinx

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-easy-legal-question/243761/2 "2004-05-06T03:00:03Z")

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I believe they’re “Titles” not "chapters.

Here’s a list of all the [Titles](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/#TITLES) of the USC.

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-easy-legal-question/243761/3 "2004-05-06T03:08:41Z")

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Thanks. The CFR calls them “Titles” as well, but State Code sometimes calls them “Chapters”…

Thank yee!

- Jinx

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**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-easy-legal-question/243761/4 "2004-05-06T03:18:11Z")

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There are also chapters in the US Code, as a click on any of the title headings in the above link will show.

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**Author:** ![cj\_finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@cj\_finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cj_finn)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-easy-legal-question/243761/5 "2004-05-06T03:29:22Z")

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> [@Jinx](#):
>
> If someone cites 35 U.S.C. 101, the first number is called what? Chapter, I WAG? (The second number in my example is the Section). In other words, when read aloud, it would be spoken as: “Chapter 35, Section 101 of the USC” is that correct?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> - Jinx

Why do you ask? Are you working on a perpetual motion machine? 🙂

CJ