Reading Law: The Interpretation of Legal Texts

Reading Law: The Interpretation of Legal Texts presents a systematic approach to legal interpretation, authored by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and legal scholar Bryan A. Garner. The book outlines textualist principles and interpretation methods for analyzing statutes, contracts, and constitutional provisions. The text examines the shift in U.S. jurisprudence from common law precedent toward statutory interpretation. Scalia and Garner establish a framework for reading legal documents based on original meaning rather than legislative intent, supported by detailed analysis of historical and contemporary legal cases. The authors present a collection of canons and principles for legal interpretation, accompanied by practical examples from court decisions. Their work addresses fundamental questions about how judges should approach legal texts and what tools they should use to reach sound interpretations. This work stands as a significant contribution to legal theory, presenting a textualist philosophy that challenges contemporary approaches to constitutional and statutory interpretation. The book's arguments about judicial restraint and textual fidelity continue to influence legal discourse and judicial decision-making.

Readers value the book's systematic approach to textualism and detailed analysis of interpretive canons. Law students and practitioners cite its usefulness as a reference guide, with many keeping it on their desks for regular consultation. Positive reviews highlight: - Clear explanations of complex legal principles - Comprehensive coverage of interpretation methods - Practical examples that illustrate concepts - Strong organization and index for reference Common criticisms: - Dense, academic writing style - Some readers find Scalia's tone dismissive of opposing views - Cost ($49.95) considered high for students - Limited coverage of legislative history's role Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (382 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (245 ratings) One law professor reviewer noted: "Whether you agree with Scalia's philosophy or not, this book provides the clearest explanation of textualist interpretation available." Multiple reviewers mentioned the book serves better as a reference than a cover-to-cover read.

The Nature of the Judicial Process by Benjamin N. Cardozo Through analysis of case law and legal principles, this text examines how judges make decisions and interpret laws, providing historical context for modern legal interpretation methods.

Active Liberty: Interpreting Our Democratic Constitution by Stephen Breyer This book presents an alternative approach to constitutional interpretation focusing on democratic participation and living constitutionalism, serving as a counterpoint to textualist methodology.

Law's Empire by Ronald Dworkin The text explores theories of legal interpretation through examination of hard cases and presents a comprehensive framework for understanding how judges should approach legal texts.

A Matter of Interpretation: Federal Courts and the Law by Antonin Scalia This earlier work by Scalia presents core arguments for textualism in constitutional interpretation with responses from leading legal scholars.

Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution by Jack N. Rakove The book examines the historical context and original understanding of constitutional provisions, providing foundation for debates about constitutional interpretation methods.

🔖 Co-author Bryan Garner is the editor-in-chief of Black's Law Dictionary, the most widely used legal dictionary in the United States. 📚 The book examines 57 different "canons" or principles of interpretation, making it one of the most comprehensive guides to textualism ever published. ⚖️ Scalia wrote this book while serving as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, where he served for nearly 30 years (1986-2016) as one of the Court's most influential conservative voices. 📜 The concept of textualism, central to this book, gained significant influence in American jurisprudence during Scalia's tenure, particularly influencing how federal courts interpret statutes. 🎓 Despite their collaboration on this book, co-author Bryan Garner and Justice Scalia had notably different political views, demonstrating how legal interpretation principles can transcend political ideology.