Privy Council

SECTION II.

DECISIONS.

Rules of Interpretation and Rules of Law distinguished

Rules of Law against Principle

Consistent Decisions-Contradictory Decisions

Long-standing Decisions

Dicta contained in Decisions

Decisions on Identical Words or Similar Grounds

Decisions and Judgments affirmed on Different Grounds

Ecclesiastical Courts

Railway Commissioners

Scotch and Irish Courts

Scotch Court of Session

American Courts

SECTION III.

DECISIONS OF COURTS.

Decisions of Courts of Co-ordinate or Concurrent Jurisdiction

Superior Courts

Lord Chancellor's Court

House of Lords-

Conclusiveness of Decisions

Independent Reasons of Lords

Irreconcilable Cases of House of Lords

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PART II.-RULES OF LEGAL INTERPRETATION

APPLICABLE TO ALL INSTRUMENTS.

INTRODUCTORY CAUTIONS.

Rules of Interpretation and Rules of Law distinguished

Maxims

Established Rules of Legal Interpretation

SECTION I.

Lord Wensleydale's Golden Rule

Context-Noscitur a Sociis

Expressio unius est exclusio alterius

Writing and Print

Capricious Intention

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Date

Time, Computation of

Decisions

Latent and Patent Ambiguities

Incorporating Clauses

Ancient Instruments-Evidence of Custom and Usage

Alterations in Instruments

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Ambiguity

Latent Ambiguity

Patent Ambiguity

Alterations in Contract

SECTION III.

Intention from Instrument, from Words Used, from Context

Rational Interpretation

Altered Circumstances

Implied Promise

Golden Rule (Bramwell, B.'s)

Circumstances-Extrinsic Evidence

Customs and Usages

Contemporaneous and Continuous Usage

Contemporanea expositio

Subsequent Acts of Parties

Subsequent Declarations of Parties

RULES APPLICABLE TO ALL DEEDS.

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Interpretation should be favourable --most agreeable to the Intention 145

Supplying or Rejecting Words

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Deed defined -

Presumption respecting the Making of Deeds

Extrinsic Evidence

Date and Delivery

Contemporaneous Deeds

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PART IV. DEEDS.

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Object

Intention of Parties

Time

Punctuation and Brackets

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Inconsistent Parts of Deeds

Ambiguity

Deed Operating Two Ways

Words, how interpreted

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Technical Words and Phrases

Words capable of a two-fold Interpretation

Same Words in Different Parts of Deed -

General and Special Words

Exceptions

Transposing Words

Changing Words-

Operative Part and Recitals-

Covenants-

Dependent and Independent

Conditions Precedent and Subsequent

Clauses against Public Policy or the Policy of the Law

"Performing"

Restrictive Clauses

Affirmative and Negative

Partly Affirmative and Partly Negative

Real and Personal

Joint and Several

For Another