hasta donde se, no recibe un nombre especial; la época es la primera república

DRAE

cantarle, o leerle, a alguien la ~.
1. frs. coloqs. Reprenderle, advirtiendo lo que debe hacer en algún asunto

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Note added at 12 mins (2005-09-05 15:59:02 GMT)
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Webster's 3rd

riot act
Function:noun
Etymology:from the Riot Act, an English law of 1715 that provided for the dispersal of gatherings disturbing the peace

: a vigorous reproof, reprimand, or warning : DRESSING DOWN — used in the phrase read the riot act *read me the riot act for what I'd done— J.B.Benefield*

/ ley antidisturbios ?

:)

para un libro me parece la mejor traducción, más que otra de tipo coloquial, como sería "cantar las cuarenta" o así.
este link quizá te resulte útil. Suerte
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/299150.html

Contra la Corriente - Pearl Jam en Castellano - [ Translate this page ]
Riot Act (Acto de Disturbios) Significado: Un Riot Act (tambi¨¦n puede traducirse
como Decreto o Ley de Disturbios) es una advertencia para detener el mal ...
pearljam.bestmusicpages.com/discog/riotact.html - 17k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

Inoperantes Web ::M¨²sica:: - [ Translate this page ]
... Disfrutenlo Riot Act (Acto de Disturbios) Significado: Un Riot Act (tambi¨¦n puede
traducirse como Decreto o Ley de Disturbios) es una advertencia para detener ...
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[PDF] de arrestos Manual pr¨¢ctico
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
pueden aplicar el Riot Act (Ley de sedici¨®n), una parte del C¨®digo crimi- ...
dem¨¢s, o estar causando disturbios. Debe ocurrir en un sitio con acceso ...
www.bccla.org/publications/ spanish%20arrest%20pocket.pdf - Similar pages


History (explains originins of the ENGLISDH expression)

The Riot Act (1 Geo. 1, c. 5), long title "An act for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the rioters", is an old piece of English England is one of the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom (along with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales). England constitutes the largest, most populous, and the most densely populated country of the United Kingdom. England has land borders with Wales and Scotland, and elsewhere it is bounded by the sea.
..... Click the link for more information. legislation allowing certain officials to declare any assembly of more than twelve persons to be unlawful and order the assembly to disperse within one hour on pain of death Death is either the cessation of life in a living organism or the state of the organism after that event. In all societies (almost) some symbol represents death in general. Common symbols of death in Western cultures include the grim reaper and the color black; conversely, in certain Eastern cultures, the color white is considered symbolic of death. The grave is a metonym for death.
..... Click the link for more information. . Most sources say it was enacted in 1715 EventsSeptember 1 - King Louis XIV of France dies after a reign of 72 years, leaving the throne of his exhausted and indebted country to his great-grandson Louis XV. Regent for the new, five years old monarch is Philippe d'Orl¨¦ans, nephew of Louis XIV.
September - First of the major Jacobite Rebellions in Scotland against the rule of King George I.

..... Click the link for more information. , but it was actually enacted in 1714 EventsAugust 1 - George, elector of Hanover becomes King George I of Great Britain.
September 11 - Barcelona surrenders to Spanish and French Borbonic armies in the War of the Spanish Succession.
The Duchy of Savoy and Piedmont becomes the Kingdom of Sardinia
Louis Juchereau de St.

..... Click the link for more information. and went into effect in 1715. This was a period of insurgency in England.

To invoke the Act, the following words had to be read by a "justice or justices of the peace Justice of the Peace (JP) is a magistrate appointed by a commission to keep the peace, dispense summary justice and deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions. Justices of the Peace are appointed from the citizens of the jurisidiction in which they serve, and are (or were) usually not required to have a formal legal education in order to qualify for the office.
..... Click the link for more information. , or by the sheriff Sheriff is both a political and a legal office held under English common law, Scots law or American common law, or the person who holds such office.

Modern usage


United States


In the United States a sheriff is generally the highest elected law-enforcement officer of a county.
..... Click the link for more information. of the county, or his under-sheriff, or by the mayor mayor (from the Latin ma¨©or, meaning "larger","greater") is the politician who serves as chief executive official of some types of municipalities. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs as to the powers and responsibilities of a mayor, as well as the means of becoming mayor.
..... Click the link for more information. , bailiff Bailiff (from Late Latin bajulivus, adjectival form of bajulus) is a governor or custodian; cf. Bail), a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offices and duties vary greatly.

England
..... Click the link for more information. or bailiffs, or other head-officer, or justice of the peace of any city or town corporate":


Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.


In Canada, the version goes as follows:


"Her Majesty the Queen charges and commands all persons being assembled immediately to disperse and peaceably to depart to their habitations or their lawful business, on pain of being guilty of an offence for which, on conviction, they may be sentenced to an imprisonment for life. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!"


The Riot Act has to be read verbatim, and at least one conviction has been overturned in a case where the words "God Save the King" had been omitted.


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Note added at 22 mins (2005-09-05 16:09:08 GMT)
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It's the literal not the figurative meaning:-)

About 300 men filled the courts, the windows, and the terrace. The Versaillese deployed their troops and placed six guns in line at about sixty yards from the edifice, thus recklessly exposing their infantry and artillery men to the muskets of the insurgents. The first president of the court and the procureur-general advanced to parley, but obtained nothing. ***Kératry read the riot act****, his voice being drowned by cries. A single blank-cartridge volley would have scared soldiers and artillery men, who might besides have been harassed on both flanks. But the leaders had fled from the Capitol. The courage of a few men might still have brought about a fight, when the Republican Association interposed, persuaded the guards to retreat, and saved Kératry. The prefecture was taken just as easily, and that same evening Kératry installed himself there. The members of the Executive Commission the next day published a manifesto of such platitude as to secure them impunity, and one of them got himself named mayor by Kératry.



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Note added at 24 mins (2005-09-05 16:10:51 GMT)
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****KERATRY****, Emile de, French soldier, born in Paris, France, 20 March, 1832. His father, Auguste Hilarion de Keratry, was made a peer by Louis Philippe in 1837. The son entered the army as a volunteer, 30 Sept, ., 1854, serving in Africa during the Crimean war, and subsequently in the Mexican campaign of 1863-'5, after which he published articles denouncing the frauds and impolicy of imperial intervention in that country, he retired from the army in 1866, and devoted his attention to politics and literature. In 1869-'70 he was prominent in the corps legislatif as an active opponent of ****Napoleon****, although he approved of the war against Prussia. At the beginning of the revolution in 1870, he was prefect of police in Paris, and as *****general of division***** under Gambetta organized nearly fifty battalions in Brittany. etc.

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Note added at 17 hrs 7 mins (2005-09-06 08:54:26 GMT)
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NB! I would go for María's "ley de orden público", lots of hits:-)

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Note added at 20 hrs 17 mins (2005-09-06 12:04:26 GMT)
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He read the riot act. They laughed at it.
If this was a figurative use of 'read teh riot act', we would say 'laughed at HIM', but as it's the literal use, he really read the riot act, and they laughed at IT.