The interpretation of legal texts is of a different order from most other legal topics. It is essentially a question of judgement, but that judgement cannot be exercised arbitrarily. It must be exercised in accordance with the rule of law. Words take their meaning from their context, and the nature of the process of interpretation means that it is not susceptible of detailed rules. But there are principles of interpretation. The ability to state principles at a higher level of generality enables them to guide the interpreter in the right direction whilst acknowledging the ultimately judgemental nature of the exercise. It is the aim of this book to explain those principles and to provide examples of their application in practice. The principles are not a series of self-contained precepts that can be applied independently of each other. They need to be understood as a whole, which is why this book is relatively brief. It is intended to supplement the longer practitioner texts
