Citizens for Preservation of Waterman Lake v. Davis
Supreme Court of Rhode Island
420 A.2d 53 (1980)
Relevant factsFree
Davis (defendant) operated a commercial dump on Glocester property under a town contract, accepting garbage from neighboring towns and allegedly dumping in designated wetlands. Citizens for Preservation of Waterman Lake (plaintiff) sued Davis, alleging violations of the Fresh Water Wetlands Act and nuisance, and the Town of Glocester (plaintiff) intervened alleging Davis violated local ordinances by accepting outside garbage. The trial court ruled for Davis on all counts, and both plaintiffs appealed.
IssueFree
Whether, when the language of a statute is clear and unambiguous, the statute and the rights created by its terms must be applied literally rather than construed or extended.