Title 43, Statutes and Statutory Construction

The words “justice of the peace” include warden of the peace and the words “district court” include warden’s court.

Whenever a seal is required to be affixed to any paper, the word “seal” shall be construed to include an impression of the seal made with or without the use of wax or wafer on the paper.

(a) The word “magistrate” may be construed to mean a justice, or a clerk acting as a justice, of a district court. (b) The words “written” and “in writing” include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of th…

Wherever the words “state highway system”, “state highways”, “state roads”, or any other words referring to public roads occur in any general law, public law, act, or resolution of the general assembly, they shall be defined as found in chapter 8 of title 24, unless the context o…

Whenever the words “product of the farm” or “farm product” are used, they shall be construed to include all agricultural, horticultural, vegetable, fruit, or other products of the soil, livestock products, poultry, eggs, dairy products, nuts, mushrooms, honey, and beeswax; provid…

Wherever the term “registered mail” is used in the general or public laws of this state, or any amendment thereto, the term “registered or certified mail” shall be substituted therefor.

In the construction of statutes the provisions of this chapter shall be observed, unless the observance of them would lead to a construction inconsistent with the manifest intent of the general assembly, or be repugnant to some other part of the statute.

Wherever in any general law, public law, act, or resolution of the general assembly an officer, board, commission, state department, or agency is required to make a financial report of its receipts and disbursements or its requirements, the required report means a report to the s…

Every act of incorporation shall be so far deemed a public act that the act may be declared on and given in evidence without specially pleading it.

The repeal of any statute shall in no case affect any act done, any right accrued, acquired, or established, or any suit or proceeding had or commenced in any civil case before the time when the repeal takes effect.

Whenever any time limitation for the commencement of any cause of action is enlarged, the amendment shall be construed to enlarge to the new time limitation all of those causes of action which accrued within the new limitation of time.

No suit, prosecution, or indictment pending at the time of the repeal of any statute for any offense committed or for the recovery of any fine, forfeiture, or penalty incurred under the statute so repealed shall in any case be affected by the repeal, but the suit, prosecution, or…

The repeal of any statute shall not be construed to revive any other statute which has been repealed.

(a) Every statute enacted on or prior to July 1 in a calendar year, which does not expressly prescribe the time it shall go into operation, shall take effect on the first day of July of the calendar year of its enactment into law by the general assembly. Any bill enacted after Ju…

Wherever a general provision shall be in conflict with a special provision relating to the same or to a similar subject, the two (2) provisions shall be construed, if possible, so that effect may be given to both; and in those cases, if effect cannot be given to both, the special…

“Pledge”, “mortgage”, “conditional sale”, “lien”, “assignment”, and like terms, when used in referring to a security interest in personal property, shall include a corresponding type of security interest under chapter 9 of title 6A.

Whenever it shall be determined by the governor that a time of emergency exists in the state brought about by the disruption and/or interruption of transportation, communications, or postal service, and that rights and obligations are adversely affected by the time of emergency, …

(a) Notwithstanding any general or public law to the contrary, upon the filing of the proclamation as provided in § 43-3-28, any act or thing to be done, performed, authorized, or required by a certain day or time, which because of the disruption and/or interruption cannot be don…

Every word importing the masculine gender only may be construed to extend to and to include females as well as males.

Whenever a title which denotes gender is applied to an individual, the title shall suit the gender of the individual. When the gender is unknown, all nouns and pronouns shall be sex inclusive; provided, that this section shall not be applied retroactively but shall be applied pro…

When the secretary of state produces a document to instruct the public on the tenets or purpose of a statute, he or she is authorized and empowered to change the language to make the unofficial reproduction of the statute gender-neutral; provided, that the reproduction shall clea…

When it shall be determined by the governor that the time of emergency referred to in § 43-3-28 has ceased, he or she shall by proclamation set forth the determination and cause a copy of the proclamation to be filed in the office of the secretary of state.

If any clause, section, paragraph, or other part of §§ 43-3-28, 43-3-29, and 43-3-30 or the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall for any reason be adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate …

The provisions of §§ 43-3-28 — 43-3-31 shall be liberally construed in order to effect their intent.

Every word importing the singular number only may be construed to extend to and to include the plural number also, and every word importing the plural number only may be construed to extend to and to embrace the singular number also.

All words purporting to give a joint authority to three (3) or more officers or persons shall be so construed as to give the authority to a majority of them.

The word “person” may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic.

(a) Whenever the terms “the handicapped,” “handicap person,” or “handicapped person” are used in the general laws, the law revision director shall, unless the director determines it could alter the intent of the statute, recommend that they be replaced with the words “persons wit…

The words “United States” include the several states and the territories of the United States.

The word “town” may be construed to include city; the words “town council” include city council; the words “town clerk” include city clerk; the words “ward clerk” include clerk of election district; the words “town treasurer” include city treasurer; and the words “town sergeant” …