What is the test for a "literal meaning" of a statute?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Pecci, 72 Cal.App.4th 1500, 86 Cal.Rptr.2d 43 (Cal. App. 1999):
" ' "The literal meaning of the words of a statute may be disregarded to avoid absurd results.... (Citation.)" ' " But this "exception should be used most sparingly by the judiciary and only in extreme cases else we violate the separation of powers principle of government. (Citation.) We do not sit as a 'super-legislature.' (Citation.)" (Unzueta v. Ocean View School Dist., supra, 6 Cal.App.4th at p. 1698, 8 Cal.Rptr.2d 614.)
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