What are the different methods of legal interpretation?

Legal interpretation is the application of the law in a particular situation or circumstance. In Washington, legal interpretation is used to determine how a statute, rule, or law should be applied. There are several different methods of legal interpretation used to guide decision-making within the state’s justice system. The first method is the plain meaning rule. This approach is used by courts in Washington to interpret a statute or law according to its ordinary meaning. This seeks to find the literal meaning of the words used when the law was enacted and applies that meaning to the case at hand. The second method is known as the ‘doctrine of reasonableness’. This approach is used to ascertain whether or not a law or statute will have an unreasonable outcome if interpreted in its literal sense. If the court finds that the outcome would be unreasonable, it can look at the legislative intent of the law to find a more reasonable interpretation. The third method is the ‘purposive approach’. This approach is used in Washington to take into account the context and purpose of the law when interpreting its content. It allows the court to look beyond the words of the statute to find an interpretation that serves the purpose of the law. Finally, the ‘precedent’ approach is used to decide a case based on the decisions of previous similar cases. This means that if a similar case has already been decided, the court can look to that decision to determine its own ruling. This ensures consistency in the justice system. Overall, legal interpretation in Washington relies on a variety of methods to ensure that the law is correctly interpreted and applied. By using these approaches to interpretation, the law can be applied in a consistent and fair manner.

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What are the different methods of legal interpretation?

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