LAW1112 Final: LAW1112 (Public Law and Statutory Interpretation) Exam Reference
MAIN%METHODS%OF%INTERPRETATION%
%
Method%
Features%
!"#$%&'(
Ø Focuses:()*%+,(*-(&(,#&#.#$(
Ø Justification:(/*.%#0,(%*'$(",(#*("1#$%2%$#('&34(1*#(#*(5&6$("#(
Ø Problems:(/&1(%$,.'#("1('&3(7$"18(%$&+("1(&(3&9(3:";:(*7<"*.,'9(3&,10#(
"1#$1+$+=&1#";"2&#$+(79(#:*,$(3:*(5&+$("#(
Ø Exceptions:%
o (>-(1&#.%&'(5$&1"18('$&+,(#*(&7,.%+(%$,.'#(?@*'+$1(A.'$B(
o >1(;&,$,(*-(8$1."1$(&57"8."#94(;*.%#,(5&9(&22'9(#:$(5",;:"$-(%.'$!(
C.%2*,"<$(
Ø Focuses:(D7E$;#"<$("1#$1#(*-(C&%'"&5$1#("1(5&6"18(#:$('&3(
Ø Justification:(A$-'$;#,("1#$1#"*1,(*-(#:*,$($'$;#$+(#*(5&6$(#:$('&3(
Ø Problems:(C&%'"&5$1#(+*$,10#(:&<$(&(,"18'$(F"1#$1#0(*%(F2.%2*,$0%
G*+$%1(
Ø >,(&(5"H(*-(#:$(#3*(&7*<$(
Ø Acts!Interpretation!Act!1901!(Cth)%s%15AA:%I>1("1#$%2%$#"18(&(2%*<","*1(*-(&1(J;#4(#:$(
"1#$%2%$#&#"*1(#:&#(would%best%achieve%the%purpose%or%object%of%the%Act(?3:$#:$%(*%(1*#(
#:&#(2.%2*,$(*%(*7E$;#(",($H2%$,,'9(,#&#$+("1(#:$(J;#B(",(#*(7$(preferred%to%each%other%
interpretationKL(
Ø Interpretation!of!Legislation!Act!1984!(Vic),%s%35:%>1(#:$("1#$%2%$#&#"*1(*-(&(2%*<","*1(*-(&1(
J;#(*%(,.7*%+"1&#$("1,#%.5$1#M(
?"B &(;*1,#%.;#"*1(#:&#(3*.'+(2%*5*#$(#:$(2.%2*,$(*%(*7E$;#(.1+$%'9"18(#:$(J;#(*%(
,.7*%+"1&#$("1,#%.5$1#(?3:$#:$%(*%(1*#(#:&#(2.%2*,$(*%(*7E$;#(",($H2%$,,'9(,#&#$+("1(
#:$(J;#(*%(,.7*%+"1&#$("1,#%.5$1#B(,:&''(7$(2%$-$%%$+(#*(&(;*1,#%.;#"*1(#:&#(3*.'+(1*#(
2%*5*#$(#:&#(2.%2*,$(*%(*7E$;#K(
%
GENERAL%PRESUMPTIONS%
%
• C&%'"&5$1#(",(&,,.5$+N(
o O*(.,$(3*%+,(-*%(&(%$&,*14(#*(:&<$(,*5$($--$;#(
o O*("1#$1+(#*($1&;#(<&'"+('&3(?"K$K(;*1,#"#.#"*1&''9(<&'"+B(
o P*#(#*(3&1#(#*("1#$%-$%$(3"#:(-.1+&5$1#&'(%"8:#,(?$K8K(2%*2$%#94('"7$%#94(,2$$;:4(5*<$5$1#4(
&,,*;"&#"*14(<*#"184(&;;$,,(#*(;*.%#,($#;KB(
o P*#(#*("1#$1+(#*(7%$&;:("1#$%1&#"*1&'(*7'"8&#"*1,(
o P*#(#*("1#$1+(#*(2&,,(%$#%*,2$;#"<$('$8",'&#"*1(
o O*("1#$1+('&3,(#*(*2$%&#$(*1'9("1(J.,#%&'"&(Q(1*#($H#%&#$%%"#*%"&''9K(
• !&3,(#:&#(%$,#%";#('"7$%#9(?"K$K(;%"5"1&'('&3,B(&%$(8$1$%&''9(%$&+(1&%%*3'9(
• !&3,(#:&#(&%$(7$1$-";"&'(?"K$K(;*1-$%(%"8:#,4(7$1$-"#,B(&%$(8$1$%&''9(%$&+(7%*&+'9(
%
INTERPRETATION%PROBLEMS%
%
Problems%
Examples%
Semantic%Ambiguity%
Ø Definition:()*%+(*%(2:%&,$(;&1(:&<$(5*%$(#:&1(
*1$(5$&1"184($K8KN(
o IbankL(",("#(&(F-"1&1;$(:*.,$0(*%(F#:$(,"+$(*-(
%"<$%0R(
o O$;:1";&'(<$%,.,(*%+"1&%9(5$&1"18N(#*5&#*(
&(-%."#(*%(&(<$8$#&7'$R(
o O$;:1";&'='$8&'(5$&1"18(<,(*%+"1&%9(
5$&1"18(
Ø Resolution:(P$$+(#*(<"$3(;*1#$H#(*-('$8",'&#"*1(
Smith%v%US%(1993)%
• S#&#.#$(2%*:"7"#$+(I.,"18(&(-"%$&%5L(#*(;*55"#(&(
+%.8(#%&--";6"18(;%"5$K(
• ):&#(+"+(I.,"18L(5$&1("1(#:",(;*1#$H#R(T"+("#(
;*<$%(,3&22"18(&(8.1("1(%$#.%1(-*%(+%.8,R((
• /*.%#(:$'+(#:&#(#:$($H;:&18$(*-(&(8.1(-*%(+%.8,(
;*1,#"#.#$+(U.,$U(*-(#:$(-"%$&%5K(
• !"#$%&'(5$&1"18(<,(2%$,.5$+(5$&1"18("1(;*1#$H#K(
Syntactic%Ambiguity%
• IS5&''(;:"'+%$1(&1+(2$#,(1*#(&+5"##$+N((
o +*$,(I,5&''L(V.&'"-9(I2$#,L4(&,(3$''(&,(I;:"'+%$1LR("K$K(,:*.'+(#:",(7$(.1+$%,#**+(&,(I,5&''(;:"'+%$1(
&1+(small(2$#,L("1(3:";:(;&,$(&(:*%,$(3*.'+(7$(&''*3$+("1R(O:",(3*.'+('$&+(#*(&1(&7,.%+(%$,.'#(*-(
:*%,$(7$"18(&+5"##$+(7.#(&(;&#($H;'.+$+W(
o J7,.%+(%$,.'#4(,*(,5&''(3"''(2%*7&7'$(*1'9(V.&'"-9(,5&''(;:"'+%$1(
• IG%(S5"#:(;*1-$,,$+(#:&#(:$(:&+('"$+(.1+$%(*&#:LK((
o T"+(:$(;*1-$,,(#*(I'9"18(.1+$%(*&#:L(*%(+"+(:$(;*1-$,,4(.1+$%(*&#:4(#*('9"18R((
• I):*$<$%(,:&''(61*3"18'9(&1+(3"'-.''9(5&6$(&19(-&',$(*%(-%&.+.'$1#(,#&#$5$1#,(K(K(K("1(&19(5&##$%(3"#:"1(
#:$(E.%",+";#"*1(*-(&19(+$2&%#5$1#(*%(&8$1;9(*-(#:$(X1"#$+(S#&#$,(K(K(K(,:&''(7$(8."'#9(*-(&1(*--$1;$KL((
o G.,#(#:$(,2$&6$%(61*3(#:&#(,.;:(,#&#$5$1#,(&%$(5&+$(3"#:"1(#:$(E.%",+";#"*1R(D%(E.,#(#:&#(#:$(
,#&#$5$1#,(&%$(-&',$R(
Vagueness%
Ø Definitions:():$1(3*%+,(:&<$(;'$&%(I;*%$L(
&22'";&#"*1,(7.#(&%$(.1;'$&%("1(I7*%+$%'"1$L(
;&,$,4(&1+(#:$%$(",(1*(;'$&%Y;.#(+"<"+"18('"1$(
7$#3$$1(;*%$(&1+(7*%+$%'"1$(;&,$,(Y(#:$9('"$(*1(
&(,2$;#%.5(&1+(,:&+$("1#*(*1$(&1*#:$%K((
Ø Key%problems:(S*("#(",(&(V.$,#"*1(*-(+$8%$$(?$K8K(
P"8:#=+&94(#&''=,:*%#B(
o ):$1(",("#(1"8:#(&1+(+&9(
o O&''(&1+(,:*%#(%$'&#"<$(#*(+"--$%$1#(
2*2.'&#"*1,((
Adamson%1979%
• T"+(IO%&+"18(;*%2*%&#"*1L("1(,KZ[?HHB(/*1,#"#.#"*1(
5$&1(I;*%2*%&#"*1(#:&#($18&8$,("1(#%&+$(#*(&(
,.7,#&1#"&'($H#$1#L4(DA(I;*%2*%&#"*1(3:*,$(5&"1(
2.%2*,$(",(#*(#%&+$RL(
• )&,(&(-**#7&''('$&8.$(&(F#%&+"18(;*%2*%&#"*10R(
• O:$(\"8:(/*.%#(;:*,$(-*%5$%(5$&1"18(Q(7.#("#(
3&,(,#"''(<&8.$(?:*3(5.;:(#%&+$(",(I,.7,#&1#"&'LRB(
2$%(J+&5,*1([]^]K(
“Cluster”%terms%
Ø Definitions:()*%+,(3:*,$(&22'";&#"*1(+$2$1+,(
*1(&(<&%"$#9(*-(;%"#$%"&4(&1+(#:$%$(",(1*(
&8%$$5$1#(&7*.#(3:";:("-(&19(&%$(1$;$,,&%9(*%(
,.--";"$1#(-*%(;*%%$;#(&22'";&#"*1K(
• ):$1(",(&(,$#(*-(7$'"$-,(&(I%$'"8"*1LR(_$'"$-("1(&(
8*+(",(1*#($,,$1#"&'(?_.++:",5BK():&#(",(
$,,$1#"&'R(
Essentially%Contested%Concepts%
%
Ø Definitions:()*%+,(3$(.,$(&,,.5"18(#:&#(3$(&%$(
#&'6"18(&7*.#(#:$(,&5$(#:"18(Y(7.#(3$(+*(1*#(
&8%$$(*1(#:$(;%"#$%"&(-*%(#:$"%(;*%%$;#(&22'";&#"*1(
&1+(2$%:&2,(1$<$%(3"''K((
Ø Key%problems:(X,.&''9(5*%&''9(;:&%8$+(3*%+,(
,.;:(&,(I-&"%1$,,L4(IE.,#";$L4(I$V.&'"#9L4(
I'"7$%#9L4(I+$5*;%&;9LK%(
(
(
• `V.&'"#9(*-(#%$$1#(<,K(`V.&'"#9(*-(*.#;*5$(
Ellipsis%
Ø Definitions:()*%+,(;%.;"&'(#*(;*55.1";&#"*1(
&%$(#&6$1(-*%(8%&1#$+(&1+(*5"##$+K(
• I>(+*10#(-$$'('"6$(-",:(&1+(;:"2,L(?"K$K(I>(+*10#(-$$'(
'"6$(eating(-",:(&1+(;:"2,L4(%&#:$%(#:&1(I>(+*10#(
2:9,";&''9(:&<$(#:$(,$1,&#"*1(*-(7$"18(&(-",:(&1+(&(
;:"2LB(
• I`<$%9*1$(:&,(8*1$(#*(C&%",L(?"K$K4(I$<$%9(
member%of%some%contextually%defined%group%
?-%"$1+,4(-&5"'94(#$&5(5$57$%,B(:&,(8*1$(#*(
C&%",LBK(
• J(,"81(,&9,N(UT*8,(5.,#(7$(;&%%"$+(*1(#:$(
$,;&'&#*%LK(T*$,("#(5$&1N((
o IP*Y*1$(;&1(#%&<$'(*1(#:$($,;&'&#*%(.1'$,,(:$(
*%(,:$(",(;&%%9"18(#3*(*%(5*%$(+*8,LR(
o IP*Y*1$(5&9(;&%%9(+*8,(&193:$%$($H;$2#(*1(
#:",($,;&'&#*%LK((
o UJ19*1$(7%"18"18(&(+*8(*1(#:$($,;&'&#*%(5.,#(
2";6("#(.2(&1+(;&%%9("#4(&1+(1*#(&''*3("#(#*(
,#&1+(+"%$;#'9(*1(#:$($,;&'&#*%KL(
(
Commonwealth%Constitution(
• SKZ[?""BN(/*55*13$&'#:(C&%'"&5$1#(:&,(2*3$%(#*(
5&6$('&3,(I3"#:(%$,2$;#(#*(#&H&#"*1L((
o #:",(",(2*3$%(#*(5&6$('&3,(I3"#:(%$,2$;#(#*(
national(#&H&#"*1L(1*#(I3"#:(%$,2$;#(#*(&''(
#&H&#"*1(a"1;'.+"18(,#&#$(#&H&#"*1bLK((
• SK^[N(#:$(E.+";"&'(2*3$%(*-(#:$(/*55*13$&'#:(
I,:&''(7$(<$,#$+("1L(<&%"*.,(;*.%#,4(
o "1#$%2%$#$+(#*(5$&1(I,:&''(7$(<$,#$+(
exclusively("1L(#:*,$(;*.%#,K(
Tacit%or%Implicit%Assumptions%
%
Ø Definitions:(O:$(5$&1"18(*-(3:&#(",(,&"+(*%(
3%"##$1(+$2$1+,(*1(7&;68%*.1+(&,,.52#"*1,(
#:&#(#:$(,2$&6$%(#&6$,(-*%(8%&1#$+K((
Ø Key%“presumptions”%of%legislative%intention:%%
o S#&#.#$,(;*1-$%%"18(2*3$%,(*1($H$;.#"<$(
*--";"&',(&'3&9,(:$'+("52'";"#'9(#*(%$V."%$(
2*3$%,(#*(7$($H$%;",$+(“in%good%faith”N(
:*1$,#'9(?1*#(;*%%.2#'9B(&1+(%&#"*1&''9(?1*#(
;&2%";"*.,'9BK(
o P$3(;%"5"1&'(*--$1;$,(:$'+(#*("52'";"#'9(
%$V."%$(“mens%rea”(?"1#$1#"*14(
%$;6'$,,1$,,4(1$8'"8$1;$B($<$1("-(1*#(
$H2%$,,'9(,#&#$+(
o S#&#.#$,(1*#("1#$1+$+(#*(&22'9(7$9*1+(
#$%%"#*%"&'('"5"#,4(#*(7$(%$#%*,2$;#"<$4(#*(
*<$%Y%"+$(-.1+&5$1#&'(;*55*1('&3(
-%$$+*5,4(&1+(,*(*1K((
v _.#(,.;:(2%$,.52#"*1,(;&1(7$(
*<$%%"++$1(79($<"+$1;$(*-(;*1#%&%9(
"1#$1#"*1(
(
• I>(3&1#(&(:&57.%8$%(3"#:(#:$('*#LN((
o #:",("52'";"#'9(%$V."%$,(#:&#("18%$+"$1#,(7$(
-%$,:4(&1+(5$&#(&1+($88(;**6$+K(
• IC'&9(&(8&5$(3"#:(#:$(;:"'+%$1LN((
o #:",("52'";"#'9(&,,.5$,(&(8&5$(,."#&7'$(-*%(
;:"'+%$1(?,*(1*#("1<*'<"18(8&57'"18(*%(,$H(*%(
<"*'$1;$BK(
(
Magistrates’!Courts!Rules%1968%(UK)%
• A.'$([c?dB(*-(#:$(Magistrates’,Courts,Rules([]ef(
?XgBN(&#(#:$(;*1;'.,"*1(*-(#:$($<"+$1;$(-*%(#:$(
;*52'&"1&1#4(I#:$(+$-$1+&1#(5&9(&++%$,,(#:$(
;*.%#LK((
• T*$,("#(&,,.5$(#:&#(#:$(;*.%#(5.,#('",#$1(#*(#:$(
+$-$1+&1#0,(&++%$,,R(
• )$(3*.'+(&,,.5$(,*h(
Drafting%Errors!
!
Higgins!v!O’Dea!1962%
• I`<$%9(2$%,*1(3:*(,:&''(:&<$(*%(6$$2(&19(:*.,$4(,:*24(*%(%**54(*%(&19(place%of%public%resort4(&1+(3:*(
,:&''(3"'-.''9(&1+(61*3"18'9(2$%5"#(+%.16$11$,,(*%(*#:$%(+",*%+$%'9(;*1+.;#("1(,.;:(:*.,$4(,:*24(%**54(
*%(2'&;$4(*%(61*3"18'9(,.--$%(&19(.1'&3-.'(8&5$,(*%(any%gaming%whatsoever%#:$%$"14(*%(61*3"18'9(
2$%5"#(*%(,.--$%(2$%,*1,(&22&%$1#'9(under%the%age%of%sixteen%years%to%enter%and%remain%#:$%$"14(*%(
61*3"18'9(2$%5"#(*%(,.--$%(2%*,#"#.#$,(*%(2$%,*1,(*-(1*#*%"*.,'9(7&+(;:&%&;#$%(#*(5$$#(#*8$#:$%(&1+(
%$5&"1(#:$%$"14(,:&''(a7$(8."'#9(*-(&1(*--$1;$bKL(
è()&,("#(&1(*--$1;$(#*(&''*3(2$%,*1,(.1+$%(#:$(&8$(*-(,"H#$$1(9$&%,("1#*(&1(&5.,$5$1#(&%;&+$R(
(
Road!Traffic!Act%1972%(UK)%
Document Summary
Justification: court"s role is to interpret law, not to make it. Problems: can result in law being read in a way which obviously wasn"t intended/anticipated by those who made it. If natural meaning leads to absurd result (golden rule) In cases of genuine ambiguity, courts may apply the mischief rule. Purposive focuses: objective intent of parliament in making the law. Justification: reflects intentions of those elected to make the law. Problems: parliament doesn"t have a single intent" or purpose". Interpretation of legislation act 1984 (vic), s 35: in the interpretation of a provision of an. Laws that restrict liberty (i. e. criminal laws) are generally read narrowly. Laws that are beneficial (i. e. confer rights, benefits) are generally read broadly. Resolution: need to view context of legislation. Did it cover swapping a gun in return for drugs: court held that the exchange of a gun for drugs constituted use of the firearm.
