This outline was prepared for Legislation as taught by Prof. Caleb Nelson, the author of the textbook used (Statutory Interpretation).

The package includes a major outline, an attack (short) outline, and a case list with page numbers on each outline in case document searching is not allowed during an exam.

The outline covers 9 major topics including:

1. Purposivism vs. textualism (including implied exceptions, drafting errors, and rules vs. standards);

2. Canons of construction (including descriptive canons, normative canons, and conflicts between canons);

3. Legislative history (including modern and historical approaches);

4. Stare decisis;

5. The interplay between federal statutes (including in pari materia, implied repeals, and interpretative statutes);

6. Federal statutes vs. common/general law;

7. Chevron and administrative law;

8. Federalism (including preemption); and

9. Statutes over time.