Statutory Construction Syllabus

(JD 109)

A. THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS vs. THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. Rule-Making vis-a-vis Rule-
Interpretation. The interpretation of statutes is a judicial function (In re: Cunanan).
Power to construe:
 Judicial construction and interpretation of a statute acquires the force of law. (Legis
interpretation legis vim obtinet)
Binding force of rules of interpretation and construction
 Ignorance of the law excuses no one. (Ignorantia legis neminem excusat)
 Legislative ratification is equivalent to a mandate. (Ratihabitio mandato aequiparatur)

B. CONTEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION:
 Contemporary construction is strongest in law. (Contemporanea exposition est optima
et fortissimo in lege)
 Custom is the best interpreter of a statute. (Optima est legum interpres consuetudo)
 In default of the law, the maxim rules. (Regula pro lege, si deficit lex)
 The best interpreter of the law is usage. (Optimus interpres rerum usus)
 Common error sometimes passes as current law. (Communis error facit jus)
 That which was originally void, does not by lapse of time become valid. (Quod ab initio
non valet in tractu temporis non convalescit)
 Follow past precedents and do not disturb what has been settled. (Stare decisis et non
quieta movere)
 The interest of the state demands that there be an end to litigation. (Interest republicae
ut sit finis litium)

C. LITERAL INTERPRETATION: Principles on adherence to the language of the statute

 Speech is the index of intention. (Index animi sermo est)
 The intention of the party is the soul. (Animus hominis est anima scripti)
 From the words of the statute there should be no departure. (Verba legis non est
recedendum)
 It is bad construction which corrupts the text. (Maledicta et exposition quae corrumpit
textum)
 The written word endures. (Littera scripta manet)
 Things thus standing. (Clausula rebus sic stantibus)
 When the language of the law is clear, no explanation is required. (Absoluta sentential
expositore non indigent)
 The law may be harsh but it is the law. (Dura lex sed lex)
 It is exceedingly hard, but so the law is written. (Hoc quidem perquam durum est, sed ita
lex scripta est)
D. DEPARTURE FROM LITERAL INTERPRETATION: Principles governing departure from
language of the statute
 Equity never acts in contravention of the law. (Aequitas nunquam contravenit legis)
 What is good and equal is the law of laws. (Aequum et bonum est lex legume)
 Law is the art of equity. (Jus ars boni et aequi)
 The reason of the law is the soul of the law. (Ratio legis est anima legis)
 The letter kills but the spirit gives life. (Littera necat spiritus vivificate)
 Words ought to be more subservient to the intent, and not the intent to the words.
(Verba intentioni, non e contra, debent inservice)
 Laws are to be construed liberally, so that their spirit and reason be preserved.
(Benignus leges interpretandae sunt, quod voluntas eraum conservetur)
 He who considers merely the letter of an instrument goes but skin deep into its
meaning. (Qui haret in littera haret in cortice)
 When the words used in a statute are special, but the purpose of the law is general, it
should be read as the general expression. (Quando verba statute sunt speciali, ratio
autem generalia, statum generaliter est intelligendum)
 When the reason of the law ceases, the law itself ceases. (Cessante rationi legis, cessat
et ipsa lex)
 Where there is ambiguity, the interpretation of such that will avoid inconveniences and
absurdity is to be adopted. (Interpretatio talis in ambiguis simper fienda est ut evitetur
inconveniens et absurdum)
 The construction of the law will not be such as to work injury or injustice. (Legis
construction non facit injuriam)
 An argument drawn from inconvenience is forcible in law. (Argumentum ab
inconvenient plurimum valet in lege)
 It is better that words should have no operation at all than that they should operate
absurdly. (Verba nihil operari melius est quam absurd)
 The law always intends that which is in accordance with reason. (Lex simper intendit
quod convenit rationi).
 Like reason doth make like law. (Ubi eadem ratio ibi idem jus)
 An argument drawn from a similar case, or analogy, prevails in law. (Argumentum a
simili valet in lege)
 Concerning similars, the judgment is the same. (De similibus idem est judicium)
 Where there is the same reason, there is the same law. (Ubi eadem est ratio, ibi est
eadem legis disposition)
 That interpretation is to be adopted which is free from evil or injustice. (Ea est
accipienda interpretation quae vitio caret)
 An unjust law is not a law. (Lex injusta non est lex)
 Let justice be done, though the heavens fall. (Fiat justitia, ruat coelum)
 Nobody is above the law. (Nemo est supra legis)
 No power must be above the law. (Nulla potential supra legis esse debet).
  It is certainly not agreeable to natural justice that a stranger should reap the pecuniary
produce of another man’s work. (Jurae naturae aequum est neminem cum alterius
detrimento et injuria fieri locupletiorem)
 Surplusage does not vitiate a statute. (Surplusagium non nocet)
 The useful is not vitiated by the non-useful. (Utile per inutile non vitiatur)
 False description does not preclude construction nor vitiate the meaning of the statute.
(Falsa demostratio non nocet, cum de corpore constat)
 Error in name does not make an instrument inoperative when the description is
sufficiently clear. (Nil facit error nominis cum de corpora vel persona constat)
 That is sufficiently certain which can be made certain. (Certum est quod certum reddi
potest)
 Where anything is granted generally, exemption from rigid application of law is implied;
that nothing shall be contrary to law and right. (Ibi quid generaliter conceditur, inest
haec exception, si non aliquid sit contras jus basque)
 The rigor of the law would be the highest injustice. (Summum jus, summa injuria)
 Extreme law is often extreme wrong. (Jus summum saepe, summa est militia)
 The law obliges no one to perform an impossibility. (Nemo tenetur ad impossibilia)
 There is no obligation to do an impossible thing. (Impossibilum nulla obigatio est)
 The law does not require an impossibility. (Lex non cogit ad impossibilia)
 The law does not intend the impossible. (Lex non intendit aliquid impossible)

E. PRINCIPLES IN DRAWING IMPLICATIONS FROM THE LANGUAGE OF THE STATUTE. BY THE

NECESSARY IMPLICATION OF LAW. (Ex necessitate legis)
 The greater includes the lesser. (In eo quod plus sit, simper inest et minus)
 When jurisdiction is given, all powers and means essential to its exercise are also given.
(Cui jurisdiction data est, ea quoque concessa esse videntur sine quibus jurisdiction
explicari non potuit)
 Where there is a right, there is a remedy for violation thereof. (Ubi jus, ibi remedium)
 Where the law is uncertain, there is no right. (Ubi jus incertum, ibi jus nullum)
 An action does not arise from fraud. (Ex dolo malo non oritur action)
 No one may derive advantage from his own unlawful act. (Nullius commodum capere
potest de injuria sua propria)
 Where the parties are equally at fault, the position of the defending party is the better
one. (In pari delicto potior est condition defendentis)
 What cannot, by law, be done directly cannot be done indirectly. (Quando aliquid
prohibetur ex directo, prohibetur et per obliquum).

F. PRINCIPLES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STATUTES

1. In general
 The voice of the people is the supreme law. (Salus populi est suprema lex)
 Statutes enacted for the publIc good are to be construed liberally. (Statuta pro publico
commodo late interpretantur)
 The private interests of the individual must give way to the accommodation of the
public. (Privatum incommodum publico bono pensatur)

2. Presumptions
 Laws are understood to be adapted to those cases which most frequently occur. (Ad ea
quae frequentibus accidunt jura adaptatur)
 Laws ought to be made with a view to those cases which happen most frequently, and
not to those which are of rare or accidental occurrence. (Jus constitui oportet in his quae
ut plurimum accidunt non quae ex inordinate)
 Legislators pass over what happens only once or twice. (Quod semel aut bis existit
praetereunt legislatores)
 The law does not concern itself with trifling matters. (De minimis non curat lex).
 The black (body of the act printed in black) should never go beyond the red (title or
rubric of the statute printed in red. (Nigrum nunquam excedere debet rubrum)

3. Statutes strictly construed

 The act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty. (Actus non facit
reum nisi mens sit rea)
 An act done by me against my will is not my act. (Actus me invito facturs non est meus
actus)
 Privileges are to be interpreted in accordance with the will of him who grants them.
(Privilegia recipiunt largam interpretationem voluntate consonem concedentis).
 Renunciation cannot be presumed. (Renunciatio non praesumitur).
 Follow the law strictly. (Strictissimi juris)
 There can be no legal right as against the authority that makes the law on which the
right depends. (Nullum tempus occurit regi)

4. Mandatory and directional statutes

 The law aids the vigilant, not those who slumber on their rights. (Vigilantibus et non
dormientibus jura subveniunt)
 He who is first in time is preferred in right. (Potior est in tempore, potior est in jure).

5. Prospective and retroactive statutes

In general
 The law looks forward, not backward. (Lex prospicit, non respicit)
 The law provides for the future, the judge for the past. (Lex de futuro, judex de
praeterito).
- A new statute should affect the future, not the past. (Nova constitutio futuris formam
imponere debet non praeteritis).
 Laws which are retrospective are rarely and cautiously received, for Janus has really no
place in the laws. (Leges quae retrospciunt, et magna cum cautione sunt adhibendae
neque enim janus locatur in legibus)
 Leges et constitutiones futuris certum est dare formam negotiis, non ad facta praeterita
revocari, nisi nominatim et de praeterito tempore et adhuc pendentibus negotiis cautum
sit.
 Laws should be construed as prospective, not retrospective, unless they are expressly
made applicable to past transactions and to such as are still pending. (Leges et
constitutiones futuris certum est dare formam negotiis, non ad facta praeterita revocari,
nisi nominatim et de praeterito tempore et adhuc pendentibus negotiis cautum sit).
Statutes given prospective effect
 There is no crime without a penalty, there is no penalty without a law. (Nullum crimen
sine poena, nulla poena sine lege).
 Penal laws which are favorable to the accused are given retroactive effect. (Favorabilia
sunt amplianda, odiosa restringenda).

6. Amendment, revision, codification and repeal

 Later statutes repeal prior ones which are repugnant thereto. (Leges posteriores priores
contrarias abrogant)
 A general law does not nullify a specific or special law. (Generalia specialibus non
derogant)

7. Construction of a statute considered in whole or in relation to other statutes

Statute construed as a whole

 The best interpreter of the statute is the statute itself. (Optima statute interpretatrix est
ipsum statutum)
 The exposition of a statute should be made from all its parts put together. (Ex tota
materia emergat resolution).
 It is unjust to decide or to respond as to any particular part of a law without examining
the whole of the law. (Injustum est, nisi tota lege inspecta, de una aliqua ejus particula
proposita indicare vel respondere)
 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. (Nemo enim aliquam partem recte intelligere
possit antequam totum interum atque interim perlegit)
 A passage will be best interpreted by reference to that which precedes and follows it.
(Ex antecendentibus et consequentibus fit optima interpretation)
 Reference should be made to a subsequent section in order to explain a previous clause
of which the meaning is doubtful. (Verba posterima propter certitudinem addita ad
priora quae certitudine indigent sunt referenda)
 A law should be interpreted with a view of upholding rather than destroying it.
(Interpretatio fienda est ut res magis valeat quam pereat)

Statute construed in relation to the Constitution and other statutes

 Of the same matter. (Pari materia)
  Every statute must be so construed and harmonized with other statutes as to form a
uniform system of law. (Interpretare et concordare leges legibus est optimus
interpretandi modu)s.
 Distinguish times and you will harmonize law. (Distingue tempora et concordabis jura).
- Times have changed and laws have changed with them. (Tempora mutantur et leges
mutantur in illis).
 With the necessary changes. (Mutatis mutanda)s)

8. Language of statute when ambiguous

 When matters are obscure, it is customary to take what appears to be more likely or
what usually often happens. (In obscuris inspici solere quod versimilius est, aut quod
plerumque fieri solet)
 A patent ambiguity cannot be cleared up by extrinsic evidence. (Ambiguitas verborum
patens nulla verificatione excluditur)

G. INTERPRETATION OF WORDS AND PHRASES

1. General Principles
 General words should be understood in their general sense. (Generalia verba sunt
generaliter intelligenda)
 A general statement is understood in its general sense. (Generis dictum generaliter est
interpretandum)
 A word is to be understood in the context in which it is used. (Verba accipienda sunt
secundum subjectam materiam)
 Equivocal words or those with double meaning are to be understood
according to their common and ordinary sense. (Verba mere aequivoca, si per
communem usum loquendi in intellectu certo
sumuntur, talis intellectus preferendus est)
 Words of art should be explained from their usage in the art to which they belong.
(Verba artis ex arte.)
 General words should be confined according to the subject-matter or persons to which
they relate. (Verba generalia restringuntur ad habilitatem rei vel personam)
 Where the law does not distinguish, the courts should not distinguish. (Ubi lex non
distinguit necnon distinguere debemus)
 Of things dissimilar, the rule is dissimilar. (Dissimilum dissimilis est ratio)

2. Associated Words
 A thing is known by its associates. (Noscitur a sociis)
 Of the same kind or species. (Ejusdem generis)
 The express mention of one person, thing or consequence implies the exclusion of all
others. (Expressio unius est exclusion alterius).
 What is expressed puts an end to that which is implied. (Expressum facit cessare
tacitum).
 Negative-Opposite Doctrine: what is expressed puts an end to that which is implied.
(Argumentum a contrario)
 A person, object or thing omitted from an enumeration must be held to have been
omitted intentionally. (Cassus omissus pro omisso habendus est)
 A qualifying word or phrase should be understood as referring to the nearest
antecedent. (Ad proximum antecedens fiat relatio nisi impediatur sentential)
 Referring each to each, or referring each phrase or expression to its appropriate object,
or let each be put in its proper place. (Reddendo singular singulis)

3. Provisos, Exceptions and Saving Clauses

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