Opinion ID: 2622122
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: ¶5 An appellate court's standard of review is not mere ritualistic legal liturgy. It defines the permissible sweep of critical testing to be undertaken by a reviewing court. [2] A declaratory judgment of a competent court is reviewable in the same manner as other judgments. [3] We hence review the record to determine if the trial court abused its discretion in construing the statute in the manner in which it did or its decision is contrary to the evidence adduced. [4] An abuse of discretion takes place when the decision is based on an erroneous interpretation of the law, on factual findings that are unsupported by proof, or represents an unreasonable judgment in weighing relevant factors. [5] This court will decline to affirm only those trial court's decisions which do not conform to the law's standard of correctness. ¶6 The Legislature's intent in passing the law submitted for judicial testing governs its construction. [6] The language of an entire act is afforded a reasonable and sensible construction [7] in a manner consistent with other statutes. [8] It is presumed the Legislature expressed its intent in the statute ... and ... intended what it expressed. [9] When the language of the statute is plain, it will be followed without further inquiry. When further inquiry is needed, this court is  not free to rewrite the statute ....[ T]he sole function of the courts  at least where the disposition [called for] by the text is not absurd  is to enforce it [the statute] according to its terms. [10] Courts must if possible, construe a statute to give every word some operative effect [11] and vigorously  resist reading words or elements into a statute that do not appear on its face. [12] The legislature expresses its purpose by words. It is for [this court] to ascertain [the meaning of these words]  neither to add nor to subtract, neither to delete nor to distort. [13] This court is thus without authority to supplement by judicial interpretation the classification of persons subject to statutory authority but must accord the language used by the Legislature, it being unambiguous, ... fair, reasonable, plain and ordinary import or meaning [14]