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Full-Text Articles in Law
The Public Justification Approach To Statutory Interpretation, Bernard W. Bell
The Public Justification Approach To Statutory Interpretation, Bernard W. Bell
Rutgers Law School (Newark) Faculty Papers
Legislative history seems inextricably intertwined with the concept of legislative intentexamining legislative history makes sense only if one wishes to determine legislative intent. The contestants on both sides of the current battle over using legislative history may agree on little, but they seem to agree on this point. Legislative history’s devotees argue that determining legislative intent is the goal of statutory interpretation, and the legitimacy of referring to legislative history seems to follow without much argument. That is, legislative history merely serves as a tool to find illusive legislative intent, but, in itself, lacks significance. Those who attack legislative history …
The Case Against Private Disparate Impact Suits, Thom Lambert
The Case Against Private Disparate Impact Suits, Thom Lambert
Faculty Publications
This article argues that the Third Circuit, and the courts that have implicitly approved private disparate impact suits, have erred in construing Title VI to permit private plaintiffs to sue federally funded entities for discrimination based on disparate impact alone. From a policy standpoint, permitting private disparate impact suits is a bad idea, for the threat of such suits will lead to deterrence of actions and decisions that have incidental disparate effects but are, on the whole, good.
Inter Partes Patent Reexamination, Mark D. Janis
Inter Partes Patent Reexamination, Mark D. Janis
Articles by Maurer Faculty
No abstract provided.
Evolutionary Statutory Interpretation: Mr. Justice Scalia Meets Darwin, Jeffrey G. Miller
Evolutionary Statutory Interpretation: Mr. Justice Scalia Meets Darwin, Jeffrey G. Miller
Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications
This paper examines the seeming contrast between the legal doctrines that the interpretation of statutes can evolve over time and that the interpretation of statutes must be grounded only in their texts, which never change unless amended by Congress. That examination is illuminated by complexity and meme theories. The examination is concluded by applying both doctrines and theories to the question of whether the term “navigable water” in a water pollution control statute includes underground water.