RULE OF RANK

rule of rank.A doctrine of statutory construction holding that a statute dealing with things or

persons of an inferior rank cannot by any general words be extended to things or persons of a

superior rank. • Blackstone gives the example of a statute dealing with deans, prebendaries,

parsons, vicars, and others having spiritual promotion. According to Blackstone, this statute is

held not to extend to bishops, even though they have spiritual promotion, because deans are the

highest persons named, and bishops are of a higher order. Cf. EJUSDEM GENERIS; EXPRESSIO

UNIUS EST EXCLUSIO ALTERIUS; NOSCITUR A SOCIIS . [Blacks Law 8^th]