Sullivan On The Construction Of Statutes

This Canadian textbook for both students and practitioners explains the principles governing the interpretation of statutes, how to resolve ambiguities, clarify obscurities and remove disharmonies. It does this by close examination of judicial decisions and sheds light on the process of reasoning used by the courts in arriving at their decisions.

Including a discussion of legislative powers, constitutional regulations relative to the forms of legislation and to legislative procedure.

This completely revised and updated edition reviews the theories and principles of statutory interpretation from the current appellate courts2 point of view. It continues the last edition2s systematic account and illustration of the rules, presumptions and techniques of statutory interpretation currently relied on by Canadian courts.

The book's primary focus is on the techniques and reasoning used by lawyers and judges to resolve interpretation problems. The book deciphers the often confusing rules of interpretation, explains the way these rules relate to each other, and focuses on the strategic use of the rules in constructing arguments and justifying outcomes.

Statutory Interpretationis a practical guide to the techniques and reasoning used by lawyers and judges to resolve interpretation problems. The book deciphers the complex rules of interpretation, explains the way these rules relate to each other, and focuses on their strategic use in constructing arguments and justifying outcomes. The third edition has been updated and restructured, adding a new chapter to the Introduction that explains what is meant by "the entire context" -- the core concept of the modern principle that governs interpretation -- and shows how the various interpretive rules and presumptions fit into that complex concept. There is another new chapter on Aboriginal law and rights to reflect the increasing importance of this area of law. Finally, this edition offers an expanded, comprehensive treatment of the presumptions of legislative intent and the important role that policy plays in interpretation, even though courts are sometimes reluctant to acknowledge that role. Written by Canada's leading authority in the field, this is a desk book that no legal practitioner should be without.