King Real Estate Ass'n v. City of Portland

Citations

• 23 Or. 199
• 31 P. 482
• 1892 Ore. LEXIS 129

Syllabus

<p>Statutory Construction — “May” — “Must.” — The word “may” is construed “must” when the legislature means to impose a positive duty and not merely to give a discretionary power. But it is only where it is necessary to give effect to the clear intention of the legislature that it can be construed in a mandatory sense; and where there is nothing in the connection of the language or in the sense and policy of the provision to require an unusual interpretation, its sense is merely permissive and discretionary.</p>