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CSEET · Business Laws and Management · Introduction to Law

A statute prohibits 'selling cattle, sheep, goats or other animals' in a certain market. Ravi sells a parrot there. Applying the rule of ejusdem generis, the likely result is:

Ravi has not violated the law. Under ejusdem generis, general words following a list of specific items are confined to the same kind or class. Cattle, sheep and goats are livestock, so 'other animals' does not extend to a parrot.

  1. ARavi has violated the law because 'other animals' covers every animal
  2. BRavi has not violated the law because 'other animals' is limited to things of the same kind as cattle, sheep and goatsCorrect
  3. CRavi has violated the law because the statute must be read against him
  4. DRavi has not violated the law because statutes cannot restrict sale of animals

Explanation

Ejusdem generis means general words following specific words are limited to things of the same class. Cattle, sheep and goats are livestock/mammals, so 'other animals' covers similar animals and not a parrot. Option A would apply the general words without limitation, which this rule rejects.

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