Under Washington State canons of statutory construction, what is the Plain Meaning Rule? Here’s my point of view.
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STATUTORY INTERPRETATION
“Statutory interpretation is a question of law reviewed de novo.” Certification (9th Cir.): Taylor v. Burlington N. R.R. Holdings, Inc., 193 Wn.2d 611 (Wash. 2019). (internal citation and quotation marks omitted).
THE PLAIN MEANING RULE
“Plain meaning is discerned from the ordinary meaning of the language at issue, the context of the statute in which that provision is found, related provisions, and the statutory scheme as a whole.” Id. (internal citation and quotation marks omitted).
AMBIGUOUS STATUTES
“If the statute is ambiguous, the court resorts to principles of statutory construction, legislative history, and relevant case law to assist [the court] in discerning legislative intent.” Id. (alteration in original) (internal citation and quotation marks omitted).
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-gw