Using Dictionaries for Statutory Interpretation
Sue Altmeyer, Electronic Services Librarian, sue.altmeyer@law.csuohio.edu | August 30, 2007 – 12:27
A recent article offers tips for using dictionaries for statutory interpretation. The article points out that in some circumstances, judges will employ dictionaries in order to determine the plain meaning of a statute. This use of dictionaries can be instead of, or in addition to, examining legislative history. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia often uses dictionaries for statutory interpretation.
Metzmeier suggests several rules for using dictionaries to interpret statutes. First, several respected unabridged dictionaries should be consulted. Second, the dictionary should be one published near the same point in time that the statutory language was enacted. Third, specialized dictionaries should be consulted to obtain definitions of terms used by a particular profession.
The article is: Metzmeier, Kurt X., “You Can Look it Up: The Use of Dictionaries in Interpreting Statutes” . Louisville Bar Briefs, pp. 14-15, July 2007 Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1005653
