Cyan, Inc. v. Beaver County Employees Retirement Fund, Docket No. 15-1439

Interpretation (statute): Rule of the last antecedent:

(Fn. 6) The classic example comes from Barnhart v. Thomas, 540 U. S. 20 (2003). The statute at issue provided that a person is disabled if his impairment is so severe that “he is not only unable to do his previous work but cannot, considering his age, education, and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy.” Id., at 23 (quoting 42 U. S. C. §423(d)(1)(A)). Invoking the rule of the last antecedent, we concluded that the italicized phrase “which exists in the national economy” modifies only “substantial gainful work,” and not the more distant “previous work.” See 540 U. S., at 26.

(U.S.S.C., March 20, 2018, Cyan, Inc. v. Beaver County Employees Retirement Fund, Docket No. 15-1439, J. Kagan, unanimous)

Un exemple d'application de la règle d'interprétation de la loi connue sous le nom de "Rule of the last antecedent".