Statutory interpretation

Published on: May 13, 2013

What is a “fee” in a (ORS 167.700) transaction for sexual conduct or contact? A Cigarette? A Kiss?

By Laura Orr

What happens in Oregon when a word in a statute is undefined – and someone’s life and liberty is at stake?

In the case of 2011 ORS 167.007 and Oregon v. Palomo, the Oregon Court of Appeals weighs in and defines the word “fee,” with a little help from a dictionary and a legislative history.

Published on: September 15, 2011

By Laura Orr

The next time someone says, “It’s not your grandma’s world, anymore,” you might want to respond, “what a pity, my grandma was a smart cookie.”

The 9/8/11, blog post at Legal Research Plus, “How to Use Legislative History to Teach Grammar,” cites and links to Prof. Susan J. Hankin’s “Statutory Interpretation in the Age of Grammatical Permissiveness: An Object Lesson for Teaching Why Grammar Matters“

Published on: December 16, 2009

By Laura Orr

The OJD December 10, 2009, Media Release gives a summary of this case (other Media Releases).

Read the full case:

State of Oregon v. Roy Lee McCullough, Jr. (SC S056910) (decided December 10, 2009)