Aids to interpretation Flashcards
What are intrinsic aids?
These are found inside the act of parliament that is trying to be interpreted.
What are extrinsic aids?
These are found outside the act of parliament they are trying to interpret.
Examples of intrinsic aids?
Preamble - Preliminary statement which acts as an introduction to the act of parliament to explain its purpose
Marginal notes - Short annotations appearing beside each section of the act to add detail.
Punctuation - Different punctuation changes the meaning of sentences so this tells us they have been used purposefully by draftsmen.
Examples of extrinsic aids?
Other similar acts or cases - These can be used as a guide if they have been seen previously to help make decisions.
Dictionary - Judges can research the definition of keywords to find out how they should be applied.
Green/White papers - These pre-legislative documents help judge understand the aim of parliament when they introduced the act.
