ReviewQuestionsforStatutoryInterpretationandRegulatoryPractice
Feb.19,2016
Prof.Hester
1.
2.
Brieflydefineeachofthefollowingschoolsofthoughtonstatutory
interpretation.Besureyourdefinitionsarebrief,butsubstantiveenoughto
distinguisheachtheoryfromtheother.
a. Intentionalism:__________________________________________________
b. Purposivism:_____________________________________________________
c. SoftTextualism:_________________________________________________
d. “NewTextualism”:______________________________________________
e. PragmaticInterpretation:______________________________________
IfPresidentObamawishedtonominateanewjusticetotheU.S.Supreme
Court,thenominationteamcouldtakethefollowingactionsinresponsetoa
threatenedSenatefilibuster:
a.
Asenatorontheteamcouldmovetoaddthenominationtothe
Senate’sexecutivecalendarduringtheSenate’slegislativesession,
andtherebyavoidafilibusteronthatmotion;
b.
PresidentObamacouldgivethatnomineeaninterimappointmentif
theSenateisinrecess,andthensubmitthatinterimappointeetothe
fullconfirmationprocessforapermanentposition;
c.
AsenatorontheJudiciaryCommitteecouldcollectsignaturesneeded
foradischargepetitiontomovethenominationoutoftheCommittee
ifthecommitteechairrefusestoscheduleahearing;
d.
AandB;
e.
Alloftheabove.
3. InUnitedStatesv.Marshall,JudgeEasterbrookreliedonthefollowingsourcesof
informationtofindthatablottersoakedwithLSDfellwithinthemeaningofthe
statutoryterm“mixtureorsubstancecontainingadetectableamount”(circle
eachsourcethatapplies):
a.
Definitionsfromarepresentativeselectionofauthoritative
dictionaries;
b.
Experttestimonyfromachemistwhotestifiedatthecriminaltrial
aboutthepropertiesofLSDinpaperasa“substance”afteritssolvent
carrierevaporates;
c.
Hisownknowledgeoftheordinarymeaningofthoseterms;
d.
AregulatoryguidancememorandumfromtheU.S.Sentencing
Commissionthatclarifiedtheterm“substancecontainingadetectable
amount”toincludecarriersofdissolveddrugs;
e.
Theconstitutionalavoidancecanon.
4. Trueorfalse:InhismajorityopinioninWestVirginiaUniversityHospitals,Inc.v.
Caseyontherecoverabilityofexpertfeesas“attorney’sfees”underthe
Attorneys’FeesAwardsActof1976,JusticeScaliareliedontheWholeCode
doctrinetofindthetermunambiguouslyexcludednontestifyingexpertfees(and
rejectedcontraryCongressionallegislativehistorybecauseitcouldnotbeused
toclarifythoseunambiguousterms).
ANSWERSTOLASTWEEK’SREVIEWQUESTIONS:
1.
D
2.
F
3.
E
4.
5.
6.
7.
True(thebillmustreceiveafavorablemajorityvotefromeachdelegation
fromtheHouseandtheSenatetotheConferenceCommittee).
F(theHouseneversoughtadischargepetitiononthefloor,andthe
HouseacceptedtheSenatebillwithoutconstitutingaconference
committee)
C
True