Pictures to test yourself on case-law and recap questions too. Your welcome to email me your answers with reference to powerpoint title to be marked.

1. Statutory Interpretation
24.02.2012
shummi.s@hotmail.co.uk

2. Lesson Objectives
All Learners will be able to:
• Discuss the literal and golden rule in depth with case-law
references.
• Define the mischief rule and make reference to case-law.
• Understand what the purposive approach is and list some
case-law.
Most learners will be able to:
• Demonstrate understanding of case-law in relation to the
purposive approach.
Some learners will be able to:
• Critically analyse the development of statutory
interpretation.

3. HOMEWORK!
Hand in your practice answer to exam question : 1a, b
and c (except Matthew, Mitchell and Ollie), and
question 2c for ALL. Failure to hand in an answer, will
result in an incomplete task on progress report.
Colin will be reviewing all student progress reports.

4. What is the purposive approach?
Key Case law?

5. What are the Dis/Advantages of the
Purposive Approach?
In pairs, consider the advantages and
disadvantages of this approach. Refer to case-
law for direction.
(5 mins)

6. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Will see far fewer absurd results using a Can question what the ‘intention of
purposive approach. Parliament’ means. Does it mean that
Parliament passed the Act, or those
members who voted with the majority., or
those who were present during the
debates?
Witnessing a genuine intent to bring Knowing which approach is likely to be
about justice. taken – lack of clarity will cause
inconsistency in results.
Judges look beyond the “gap” that Even though most of the Judges in the
Parliament had meant to achieve at the House of Lords disapproved of the case of
time of legislating. “R v Registrar of State” 2 judges had
approved of it. Unelected judges can’t
make the Law as this can create
uncertainty.

7. LAW
Teams of 3 each.
Assign a Team Name and Sound
Let the game begin!

8. Define the Literal, Golden and Mischief
rules…

9. LITERAL RULE

10. Which rule came about from this case?
Give an example of the rule.

11. Facts?
Held?

12. Held?

13. Facts?
Held?

14. Facts?
Held?

15. Facts?
Held?

16. Facts?
Held:

17. GOLDEN RULE

18. What did Lord Blackburn say?

19. Facts?
Held?

20. Facts?
Held?

21. Facts?
Held?

22. Facts?
Held?

23. MISCHIEF RULE

24. What were the rules?
1.What was the law before the statute?
2.What was wrong with that law?
3.How did Parliament intend to correct this?
4.Apply this statute in that context.

25. Facts?
Held?

26. Facts?
Held?

27. Facts?
Held?

28. PURPOSIVE APPROACH

29. Law?
Section 1(1) of the Abortion Act 1967 states that ‘a person shall not be guilty of
an offence under the law relating to abortion when a pregnancy is terminated
by a registered medical practitioner…’
Facts?
Held?

30. Facts?
1984.
Law?
that it would be an offence to sell such a video where the seller had reason to believe
the buyer was under age; on the facts, this applied to the checkout operator but not
to the company itself.
Held?

31. Facts?
Held?

32. Law?
Concerned s.51 of the Adoption Act 1976 which
enables a person to obtain details of his birth
certificate when reaching 18 years of age.
Facts?
Held?

33. Quick recap of last 3 lessons
Write the answers down yourself, you have 10 mins.
1. Reason why statutes may require interpretation?
2. What is the Euisdem Generis rule? Examples?
3. What are Extrinsic/Intrinsic aids?
4. What is the literal rule? – case example?
5. What is the golden rule? Case example?
6. What are the two approaches in golden rule? Define?
7. Case example of wide approach?
8. Case example of narrow approach?
9. What are the ad/dis of literal rule?
10. What are the ad/dis of golden rule?
11. What is the mischief rule?
12. What is the KEY case with the four rules from the mischief rule?
13. What are the four rules from the above case?
14. List case-law for mischief rule.
15. What is the purposive approach? List some case-law.
16. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach?