Strict constructionism

Strict constructionism interprets legal provisions narrowly, giving their words limited scope. In constitutional law, it is often associated with restricting government power to authority expressly granted.

Textualism: A method of legal interpretation that gives primary weight to the ordinary meaning of enacted text. Both approaches prioritize legal language, though textualism need not read that language narrowly.
Judicial restraint: A judicial philosophy favoring limited intervention in decisions made by elected branches. It concerns courts’ role, while strict construction concerns how legal provisions are interpreted.
Thomas Jefferson: The third president of the United States and an influential advocate of limited federal authority. Jefferson’s narrow reading of federal powers helped establish strict construction as a political position.
Marbury v. Madison: The 1803 Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review in the United States. Its treatment of constitutional text illustrates how interpretive choices can limit statutory authority.
Plain meaning rule: A principle that applies statutory language according to its ordinary meaning when the text is clear. Strict construction often treats clear wording as a boundary on what government may do.
Originalism: A family of interpretive theories that construes legal text according to its original meaning or understanding. Originalism can yield broad or narrow readings; it does not require strict construction.
Alexander Hamilton: An American statesman who defended broad federal authority and an expansive reading of constitutional powers. Hamilton’s arguments for implied powers became a lasting foil to strict construction.
United States v. Lopez: The 1995 Supreme Court decision holding that Congress exceeded its Commerce Clause power by banning guns near schools. The Court imposed a limit on the reach of a broadly invoked federal power.
Expressio unius est exclusio alterius: A canon of interpretation that treats the express mention of one thing as implying the exclusion of others. The canon can support narrow readings by excluding powers or cases not expressly listed.
Purposivism: A method of interpretation that seeks to implement the purpose behind a law or provision. Purposivists may read text beyond its narrowest sense to advance its legal purpose.

Linked from 9 pages