Literal rule

The literal rule is when someone is trying to understand the exact meaning of words in a law or a rule. It means they are only paying attention to what the words say and not trying to guess at what the person who wrote them might have meant. Just like when you read a book, you only understand what the words say, not what the author was thinking. So when a judge uses the literal rule, they only look at the words of the law or rule and try to figure out what they mean exactly. They are careful not to add any extra meanings to the words because that might change what the law or rule says.