Opinion ID: 64505
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Louisiana statutory interpretation

Text: This court is guided by principles of statutory construction set forth in the Louisiana Civil Code. When a law is clear and unambiguous and its application does not lead to absurd consequences, the law should be applied as written and no further interpretation may be made in search of the intent of the legislature. La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 9; Pumphrey v. City of New Orleans, 925 So.2d 1202, 1210 (La. 2006). When the language of the law is susceptible of different meanings, it must be interpreted as having the meaning that best conforms to the purpose of the law, and the words of law must be given their generally prevailing meaning. La. Civ. Code Ann. arts. 10, 11. When the words of a law are ambiguous, their meaning must be sought by examining the context in which they occur and the text of the law as a whole, and laws on the same subject matter must be interpreted in reference to each other. La. Civ.Code Ann. arts. 12, 13. The meaning and intent of a law is determined by considering the law in its entirety and all other laws on the same subject matter and placing a construction on the provision in question that is consistent with the express terms of the law and with the obvious intent of the legislature in enacting it. In re Succession of Boyter, 756 So.2d 1122, 1129 (La.2000). The statute must, therefore, be applied and interpreted in a manner consistent with logic and the presumed fair purpose and intention of the legislature in passing it.... Courts should give effect to all parts of a statute and should not give a statute an interpretation that makes any part superfluous or meaningless, if that result can be avoided. Id. (internal citations omitted). Under general rules of statutory construction, the latest expression of the legislative will is considered controlling, and prior enactments in conflict are considered as tacitly repealed in the absence of an express repealing clause. La. Civ.Code Ann. art. 8; State v. Bd. of Comm's of Caddo Levee Dist., 188 La. 1, 175 So. 678, 681 (1937). With these guiding principles in mind, we turn to the issue of whether, under Louisiana law, State Farm's change to its homeowner policies was proper.