Rules of Interpretation-Index

Basic Principles

1.Meaning Of Construction

2.Intention of legislature       Legislative Intent: Touchstone

3.Statute Must be read to make it workable  2

4. Considering Act as a whole   2    
5.If Meaning is Plain , effect should be given irrespective of Consequences .....      
6. Appraisal of Plain Meaning 
 Guiding Rules for Construction

1.Read the Statute as a whole without any change in language   2   3   4   5  6
1.1 Provisions of Statute : Not to read in Isolation

2.Courts not to Amend the statute by adding or deleting words  2

3.No word in Statute is superfluos

4.Doctrine of Casus Omissus ;Professor Cote
5.Courts :Not to Supply Casus Omissus
Deviation from Above Rules

1.When Courts Can Deviate from Rule against Casus Omissus

2.Additions of words when permissible

Rejection of words when permissible

Literal Rule of Construction
1.The  Literal Rule of Construction 
2. Words have Core and Ordinary Meaning:Rule of   Interpretation:US Courts                              
 3 Ordinary Meaning :Reference to Dictionary: US 
4. Courts Approach.. Rule of Construction: Ordniary Natural meaning in context:US Court Approach  
4A Context  as a whole: Meaning             
5.Plain, Obvious and Rational Meaning: To be preferred-USCourts                                          
6.Common Meaning: What is               
7. Construction where Most Natural and Ordinary Meaning cannot be given                       
8.  When some Violence with Language :Permissible    
9.When to Depart from Literal/Plain Meaning Rule 
10.Deviation from Literal Rule   Canadian Citation 
11.Literal Rule of Construction: Criticism  
12. Literal Rule and Other Approaches:Explained by courts        13.Two key Assumptions in Interpretation           

14.Drafting Errors

15. Meaning of Context as a whole
16.Deference to Agency Interpretation
17.Deference: When Reduced or Not permitted
18. Deference :Court the Final Authority to interpret

Ambiguity

2.Removal of Ambiguity :Purpose of Interpretation

04 Ambiguity: Maxewell Coinage of Term
05.Resolving ambiguity: Referring to Earlier Judicial Pronouncements

Context

2.00 Context as a whole
02.1 Words must be Read in Context Of The statute  

2.2 Words Must Be read in Context: Maxwell

03.3 Courts :When some Violence Permissible

03.4 Words not to be given Strained construction

0.5.2 Rule of Fundamental Right's based Approach

0.5.3 Finding Meaning of words: Imperfections of Methods and Approaches

1.4 Purposive approach and its adoption by Courts

5. Construction Based on Consistency with Constitution
6. Rules of construction Summed up by Cote

Special Rules Punctuation and Grammar

01.'May' and 'Shall': Usage

02. Same word Same Meaning

Fundamental Principles 0....Proportionality Test.........2......3 .................

01. Courts not to usurp Legislative powers
02.Stare Decisis-Doctrine