LITERAL RULE OF INTERPRETATION
RULES OF INTERPRETATION A Rule is a uniform or established course of things. It is that which is prescribed or laid down as a guide for conduct or action; a governing direction for a specific purpose; an authoritative enactment; a regulation; a prescription; a precept; as, the rules of various societies; the rules governing a school; a rule of etiquette or propriety etc. It should be remembered that these Rules are Rules of Practice and not Rules of Law. Without these rules, it would soon become impossible to not only understand the law but even just to apply it, as new situations are always coming to light which Parliament and the courts could not have foreseen when the law was developed. Do judges really use the rules of statutory interpretation? If yes, which rule do they use first? – Judges rarely if ever, volunteer the information that they are now applying a certain rule of interpretation. Often, judges look to see if there can be a literal meaning to the words used in th...