Guam § 700 - Use of Common Law Rules of Construction.

§ 700. Use of Common Law Rules of Construction.

Unless a different intent appears in law, or in applicable court decisions, or in this Code, the common

law rules of construction shall apply to the interpretation of this Code and to all other laws of Guam;

provided, that, common law rules that statutes in derogation of the common law, and penal statutes shall be

strictly construed shall not apply.

1980 NOTE: Compare Civil Code § 4; Code of Civil Procedure § 4; Penal Code §§ 4, 5; 9 GCA § 1.20; 8 GCA § 1.07.

COL 2026-05-29

1980 COMMENT: It is recognized that the laws of Guam cannot contain all of the rules of construction that will be

used in their interpretation. Neither have the courts ruled upon all questions of interpretation. Thus, some additional

provision must be found and, based upon prior practice in Guam, can be found in the common law rules of

interpretation. However, consistent with § 101 of this Title, this Section does not adopt substantive common law, and

rejects the rule, as have the Codes of Guam, that laws in derogation of the common law should be strictly construed.

Such treatises as Sutherland, Statutes and Statutory Construction, 1972 ed. (or current edition), with supplements, are

intended to be a guide to interpreting the laws of Guam under this Section.