CHAPTER 2 CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION B.

POWER TO CONSTRUE
1. Legis interpretatio legis vim obtinet Judicial construction and interpretation of a statute acquires the force of law.

CHAPTER 3 AIDS TO CONSTRUCTION C. CONTEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION

2. a. b. c. 3. a. b. c. Contemporanea expositio est optima fortissima in lege. Optima est legume interpres consuetude. Regula pro lege si deficit lex. et Contemporary construction is strongest in law. Custom is the best interpreter of a statute. In default of the law, the maxim rules.

Optimus interpres rerum usus. The best interpreter of the law is usage. Communis error facit jus. Common error sometimes passes as current law. Quod ab initio non valet in tractu temporis non That which was originally void, does not by lapse of time convalescit. become valid. Ratihabitio mandato aequiparatur. Stare decisis et non quieta movere. Interest republicae ut sit finis litium. Legislative ratification is equivalent to mandate. Follow past precedents and do not disturb what has been settled. The interest of the state demands that there be an end to litigation.

4. 5. a. b.

CHAPTER 4 ADHERENCE TO, OR DEPARTURE FROM, LANGUAGE OF STATUTE A. LITERAL INTERPRETATION

6. a. b. c. d. e. f. 7. a. b. c. Index animi sermo est. Animus hominis est anima scripti. Verba legis non est recedendum. Maledicta est expositio quae corrumpit textum. Littera scripta manet. Clausula rebus sic stantibus. Absoluta sententia expositore non indiget. Speech is the index of intention/ soul. The intention of the party is the soul. From the words of the statute there should be no departure. It is bad construction which corrupts the text. The written word endures. Things thus standing.

When the language of the law is clear, no explanation is required. Dura lex sed lex. The law may be harsh but it is the law. Hoc quidem perquam durum est, sed ita lex It is exceedingly hard, but so the law is written. scripta est.

B. DEPARTURE FROM LITERAL INTERPRETATION 8. a. Aequitas nunquam contravenit legis. b. Aequum et bonum est lex legum. c. Jus ars boni et aequi. 9. a. b. c. d. Ratio legis est anima legis. Littera necat spiritus vivificat. Verba intentioni, non e contra, debent inservire. Benignus leges interpretandae voluntas earum conservetur. sunt,

Equity never acts in contravention of the law. What is good and equal is the law of laws. Law is the art of equity. The reason of the law is the soul of the law. The letter kills but the spirit gives life. Words ought to be more subservient to the intent and not the intent to the words. quod Laws are to be construed liberally, so that their spirit and reason be preserved.

e. f.

Qui haret in littera haret in cortice.

He who considers merely the letter of an instrument goes but skin deep into its meaning. Quando verba statute sunt speciali, ratio autem When the words used in a statute are special, but the generalia, statutum generaliter est intelligendum. purpose of the law is general, it should be read as the general expression. Cessante rationi legis, cessat et ipsa lex. When the reason of the law ceases, the law itself ceases.

10.

11. a. Interpretatio talis in in ambiguis semper fienda Where there is ambiguity, the interpretation of such that est ut evitetur inconveniens et absurdum. will avoid inconveniences and absurdity is to be adopted. b. Legis construction non facit injuriam. The construction of the law will not be such as to work injury or injustice. c. Argumentum ab inconvenient plurimum valet in An argument drawn from inconvenience is forcible in law. lege. d. Verba nihil operari melius est quam absurde. It is better that words should have no operation at all than that they should operate absurdity. e. Lex semper intendit quod convenit rationi. The law always intends that which is in accordance with reason. f. Ubi eadem ratio ibi idem jus. Like reason doth make like law. g. Argumentum a simili valet in lege. An argument drawn from a similar case, or analogy, prevails in law. h. De similibus idem est judicium. Concerning similar, the judgment is the same. i. Ubi eadem est ratio, ibi est eadem legis Where there is the same reason, there is the same law. dispositio. 12. a. Ea est accipienda interpretation quae vitio caret. b. Lex injusta non est lex. That interpretation is to be adopted which is free from evil or injustice. An unjust law is not a law. Let right be done, though the heavens fall. Nobody is above the law. No power must be above the law.

13. a. Fiat justitia, ruat coelum. b. Nemo est supra legis. c. Nulla potentia supra legis esse debet. 14.

Jurae naturae aequum est neminem cum alterius It is certainly not agreeable to natural justice that a detriment et injuria fiery locupletiorem. stranger should reap the pecuniary produce of another mans work. Surplusage does not vitiate a statute. The useful is not vitiated by the non-useful. False description does not preclude construction nor vitiate the meaning of the statute. Error in name does not make an instrument inoperative when the description is sufficiently clear. That is sufficiently certain which can be made certain.

15. a. Surplusagium non nocet. b. Utile per inutile non vitiatur. 16. a. Falsa demonstration non nocet, cum de corpora constat. b. Nil facit error nominis cum de corpora vel persona constat. c. Certum est quod certum reddi potest

17. a. Ibi quid generaliter conceditur, inest haec Where anything is granted generally, exemption from rigid exceptio, si non aliquid sit contras jus basque. application of law is implied; that nothing shall be contrary to law and right. 18. a. Summum jus, summa injuria. b. Jus summum saepe, summa est malitia. The rigor of the law would be the highest injustice. Extreme law is often extreme wrong.

19. a. b. c. d.

Nemo tenetur ad impossibilia. Impossibilium nulla obigatio est. Lex non cogit ad impossiblia. Lex non intendit aliquid impossible.

The law obliges no one to perform an impossibility. There is no obligation to do an impossible thing. The law does not require an impossibility. The law does not intend the impossible.

C. IMPLICATIONS
20. a. Ex necessitate legis. b. In eo quod plus sit simper inest et minus. c. Cui jurisdiction data est, ea quoque concessa esse videntur sine quibus jurisdiction explicari non potuit. 21. a. Ubi jus, ibi remedium. b. Ubi jus incertum, ibi jus nullum. By the necessary implication of law. The greater includes the lesser. When jurisdiction is given, all powers and means essential to its exercise are also given.

Where there is a right, there is a remedy for violation thereof. Where the law is uncertain, there is no right.

22. a. Ex dolo malo non oritur actio. An action does not arise from fraud. b. Nullius commodum capere potest de injuria sua No one may derive advantage from his own unlawful act. propria. c. In pari delicto potior est condition defendetis. Where the parties are equally at fault, the position of the defending party is the better one. 23. Quando aliquid prohibetur ex directo, prohibetur What cannot, by law, be done directly cannot be done et per obliquum. indirectly.

CHAPTER 5 IINTERPRETATION OF WORDS AND PHRASES A. IN GENERAL

24. a. Generalia verba sunt generaliter intelligenda. b. Generale dictum generaliter est interpretandum. General words should be understood in their general sense. A general statement is understood in its general sense.

25. a. Verba accipienda sunt secundum subjectam materiam. b. Verba mere aequivoca, si per communem usum loquendi in intellectu certo sumuntur, talis intellectus preferendus est. c. Verba artis ex arte. d.

A word is to be understood in the context in which it is used. Equivocal words or those with double meaning are to be understood according to their common and ordinary sense. Words of art should be explained from their usage in the art to which they belong. Verba generalia restringuntur ad habilitatem rei General words should be confined according to the vel personam. subject-matter or persons to which they relate. Ubi lex non distinguit necnon distinguere Where the law does not distinguish, the courts should not debemus. distinguish. Dissimilum dissimilis est ratio. Of things dissimilar, the rule is dissimilar.

26.

27.

B. ASSOCIATED WORDS
28. Noscitura a sociis. A thing is known by its associates.

29.

Ejusdem generis.

Of the same kind or specie. The express mention of one person, thing or consequence implies the exclusion of all others. What is expressed puts an end to that which is implied. Negative-Opposite Doctrine: what is expressed puts an end to that which is implied. A person, object or thing omitted from an enumeration must be held to have been omitted intentionally.

30. a. Expressio unius est exclusion alterius. b. 31. Expressum facit cessare tacitum. Argumentum a contrario.

32.

Casus omissus pro omisso habendus est.

33.

Ad proximum antecedens fiat relation nisi A qualifying word or phrase should be understood as impediatur sententia. referring to the nearest antecedent. Reddendo singular singulis. Referring each to each, referring each phrase or expression to its appropriate object, or let each be put in its proper place.

34.

C. PROVISOS, EXCEPTIONS AND SAVING CLAUSES

35. Exceptio firmat regulam in casibus non exceptis. A thing not being expected must be regarded as coming within the purview of the general rule.

CHAPTER 6 STATUTE CONSIDERED AS A WHOLE IN RELATION TO OTHER STATUTES. A. STATUTE CONSTRUED AS A WHOLE
36. a. Optima statuti interpretatrix est ipsum statutum. b. Ex tota materia emergat resolutio. c. d. Injustum est, nisi tota lege inspecta, de una aliqua ejus particular proposita indicare vel respondere. Nemo enim aliquam partem recte intelligere posit antequam totum iterum atque iterum perlegit. Ex antecendentibus et consequentibus fit optima interpretatio. Verba posterima propter certitudinem addita ad priora quae certitudine indigent sunt referenda. The best interpreter of the statute is the statute itself. The exposition of a statute should be made from all its parts put together. It is unjust to decide or to respond as to any particular part of a law without examining the whole of the law. The sense and meaning of the law is collected by viewing all the parts together as one whole and not of one part only by itself. A passage will be best interpreted by reference to that which precedes and follows it. Reference should be made to subsequent section in order to explain a previous clause of which the meaning is doubtful.

e. f.

37.

Interpretatio fienda est ut res magis valeat quam A law should be interpreted with a view of upholding pereat. rather than destroying it.

B. STATUTE CONSTRUED IN RELATION TO THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER STATUTES.

38. a. Pari materia. b. Of the same matter. Interpretare et concordare leges legibus est Every statute must be construed and harmonized with optimus interpretandi modus. other statutes as to a uniform system of law. Distinguish times and you will harmonize law. Times have changed and laws have changed with them. With the necessary changes.

39. a. Distingue tempora et concordabis jura. b. Tempora mutantur et leges mutantur in illis. c. Mutatis mutandis.

CHAPTER 7 STRICT OR LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION A. IN GENERAL

40. a. Salus populi est suprema lex. b. Statuta pro public commodo late interpretantur. c. Privatum incommodum public bono pensatur. The welfare of the people is the supreme law. Statutes enacted for the public good are to be construed liberally. The private interest of the individual must give way to the accommodation of the public.

B. STATUTES STRICTLY CONSTRUED

41. a. Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea. b. Actus me invito factus non est meus actus. The act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty. An act done by me against my will is not my act.

42. a. Privilegia recipient largam interpretationem Privileges are to be interpreted in accordance with the will voluntate consonam concedentis. of him who grants them. b. Renunciatio non praesumitur. Renunciation cannot be presumed. 43. 44. Strictissimi juris. Nullum tempus occurit regi. Follow the law strictly. There can be no legal right as against the authority that makes the law on which the right depends.

CHAPTER 8 MANDATORY AND DIRECTIONAL STATUTES. A. MANDATORY STATUTES

45. a. Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. b. Potior est in tempore, potior est in jure. The law aids the vigilant, not those who clumber on their rights. He who is first in time is preferred in right.

CHAPTER 9 PROSPECTIVE AND RETROACTIVE STATUTES A. IN GENERAL

46. a. Lex prospicit, non respicit. b. Lex de future, judex de praeterito. c. Nova constitution futuris formam imponere debet non praeteritis. d. Leges quae retrospiciunt, et magna cum cautione sunt adhibendae neque enim janus locatur in legibus. e. Leges et constitutions futuris certum est dare formam negotiis, non ad facta praeterita revocari, nisi nominatim et de praeterito tempore et adhuc pendentibus negotiis cautum sit. The law looks forward, not backward. The law provides for the future, the judge of the past. A new statute should affect the future, not the past. Laws which are retrospective are rarely and cautiously received, for Janus has really no place in the laws. Laws should be construed as prospective, not retrospective, unless they are expressly made applicable to past transactions and to such as are still pending.

B. STATUTES GIVEN PROSPECTIVE EFFECT

47. Nullum crimen sine poena, nulla sine lege. There is no crime without a penalty, there is no penalty without a law. Penal laws which are favorable to the accused are given retroactive effect.

48.

Favorabilia sunt amplianda, odiosa restringenda.

CHAPTER 10 AMENDMENT, REVISION, CODIFICATION AND REPEAL. A. REPEAL

49. Leges posteriors priores contrarias abrogant. Later statutes repeal prior ones which are repugnant thereto. A general law does not nullify a specific or special law.

50.

Generalia specialibus non derogant.

BINDING FORCE OF RULES OF INTERPRETATION AND CONSTRUCTION

A. Ignorantia legis neminem excusat. Ignorance of the law excuses no one.

LANGUAGE OF STATUTE WHEN AMBIGUOUS

B. 1. 2. In obscuris inspici solere quod versimilus est, aut quod plerumque fleri solet. Ambiguitas verborum patens nulla verification excluditur. When matters are obscure, it is customary to take what appears to be more likely or what usually often happens. A patent ambiguity can be cleared up by extrinsic evidence.

PRESUMPTION AGAINST INJUSTICE AND HARDSHIP

C. 1. 2. Ad ea quae frequentibus accident jura adaptatur. Laws are understood to be adapted to those cases which most frequently occur. Jus constitui oportet in his quae ut plurimum Laws ought to be made with a view to those cases which accident non quae ex inordinate. happen most frequently, and not those which are of rare or accidental occurrence. Quod semel aut bis existit praetereunt Legislators pass over what happens only once or twice. legislatores. De minimis non curat lex. The law does not concern itself with trifling matters.

3. 4.

TITLE OF THE ACT (INTRINSIC AID)

D. Nigrum nunquam excedere debet rubrum. The black (body of the act printed in black) should never go beyond the red (title or rubric of the statute printed in red).