Court Opinion

ID: 9544370
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:55:08.515819+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:12:53.695502
License: Public Domain

DISSENTING OPINION OF
LEVINSON, J.
I dissent. I think that the decision of the trial court, quoted in part by the majority, was correct and is supported by Chang v. Meagher, 40 Haw. 96 (1953) where this court said, at 102:
While the most desirable construction of a statute is that which is consistent with the spirit and letter thereof, both of which should be considered, frequently the purpose of an Act justifies the departure from a literal construction of the wording.
We said in Yoshizaki v. Hilo Hospital, 50 Haw. 150, 153, 433 P.2d 220, 223 (1967): “We are aware of the many canons of construction which are supposed to aid a court in construing a statute. But we are also aware that for *567every construction exhorting a court to a literal interpretation of a statute there is a contrary one which justifies construction in a more liberal manner.” We cited Llewellyn, The Common Law Tradition, Deciding Appeals 522-35 (1960) “for a substantial list of contradictory canons of construction.” Ibid.
I would affirm the judgment of the trial court.