How to Interpret Statutes

In this episode…Michael Morley, Assistant Professor of Law at Florida State University College of Law explains with precision how to interpret a statute using one of the three methods employed by members of the court depending on their own interpretive bent; textualism, intentionalism and purposivism.  Some key takeaways...Textualists uses semantics and canons of construction to identify the meaning of the text of the statute.Inentionalists consider what those adopting the statute intended to the statute to meanPurposivists look to the purpose of the statute. About our guest…Professor Michael Morley joined FSU Law in 2018, and teaches and writes in the areas of election law, constitutional law, remedies and the federal courts. Prior to his experience in academia, he held numerous positions in both private practice and government, including as special assistant at the Office of the General Counsel, Department of the Army, at the Pentagon, clerk for Judge Gerald B. Tjoflat, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and as an associate at Winston & Strawn, LLP, in Washington, D.C. Before joining FSU Law, Professor Morley was an associate professor at Barry University School of Law in Orlando, FL.Professor Morley earned his J.D. from Yale Law School in 2003, where he was a senior editor on the Yale Law Journal, served on the moot court board and received the Thurman Arnold Prize for Best Oralist in the Morris Tyler Moot Court of Appeals.-As always, if you have any suggestions for an episode topic, please let us know!You can email leslie@lawtofact.com or tweet @lawtofact.-Find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!Review us on iTunes, your opinion matters!-Want to stay updated on all things Law to Fact?Join our mailing list by visiting www.LawToFact.com.-This episode is sponsored by Kaplan Bar Review. Getting ready for the bar exam means you’ll need to choose the study program that’s right for you. Kaplan Bar Review will get you ready to take on test day with confidence by offering $100 off live and on-demand Bar Review with offer code Leslie100.Visit kaplanbarreview.com today to sign up.