Theodore Hayes v. Philip Harvey (2018)

Citation: Theodore Hayes v. Philip Harvey (2018)
Parent Document: Theodore Hayes v. Philip Harvey (2018)
Jurisdiction: United States (federal)
Effective Date: 2018-08-31
Original Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4532088/theodore-hayes-v-philip-harvey/ ↗

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          The majority suggests that I “pin[ my] hopes on
legislative history.” Maj. Op. at 23 n.5. I do not; the plain
language of the statute is sufficient to affirm the District Court.
Indeed, where—as here—the statutory text is unambiguous,
there is generally no need to consider statutory purpose or
legislative history. Doe v. Hesketh, 828 F.3d 159, 167 (3d Cir.
2016). Further inquiry is warranted only in “rare
circumstances” where a “literal application of the statute will
produce a result demonstrably at odds with the intentions of its
drafters . . . or where the result would be so bizarre that
Congress could not have intended it.” Id. (quoting In re Segal,
57 F.3d 342, 346 (3d Cir. 1995)). I agree with the majority that
this is not such a “rare circumstance[].” Id. But the majority’s
reading of the statute results in such an outcome—one that is
“so bizarre that Congress could not have intended it.” Id. The

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