Primacy of Literal Rule in Statutory Interpretation:
The first and cardinal principle of statutory interpretation is the literal rule. Words used in a statute must be understood and construed according to their plain, ordinary, common-sense, and natural grammatical meaning. Recourse to other interpretive methods (such as the Mischief Rule or Purposive Construction) is permissible only when the plain words are ambiguous, lead to absurdity, or yield no intelligible result. Judicial creativity or lawmaking is impermissible; courts cannot alter, add, subtract, or assume omissions in unambiguous statutory language. Every word used by the Legislature must be given effect and purpose, without brushing aside any word as superfluous.