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In re Estate of Seader9/23/2003
that Julie would be considered Neil's child for purposes of intestate succession. But that is not the question that is being asked in this case. Neil did leave a will and he did make Julie a beneficiary. Consequently, this case is quite unlike the usual equitable adoption case because its focus is not upon enforcing specific performance of a contract. Instead, its focus is upon statutory construction.
Neither party presented this case below as a question of statutory construction, so the district court made no findings and reached no conclusions in that regard. However, " f the evidence in the record supports the summary judgment granted by the district court on any legal basis... we will affirm." Grose v. Sauvageau, 942 P.2d 398, 402 (Wyo. 1997). Because the inter-related issues of adoption and the distribution of decedents' estates are purely statutory, we must apply our standard rules of statutory construction to the questions before us. We recently reiterated those rules at length:
"This court interprets statutes by giving effect to the legislature's intent.... We begin by making an inquiry relating to the ordinary and obvious meaning of the words employed according to their arrangement and connection.... We give effect to every word, clause, and sentence and construe together all components of a statute in pari materia.... Statutory interpretation is a question of law.... We review questions of law de novo without affording deference to the district court's decision."
Worcester v. State, 2001 WY 82, 13, 30 P.3d 47, 52 (Wyo.2001). If a statute is clear and unambiguous, we simply give effect to its plain meaning.... Only when we find a statute to be ambiguous do we resort to the general principles of statutory construction.... An ambiguous statute is one whose meaning is uncertain because it is susceptible to more than one interpretation....
"It is a basic rule of statutory construction that courts may try to determine legislative intent by considering the type of statute being interpreted and what the legislature intended by the language used, viewed in light of the objects and purposes to be accomplished.... Furthermore, when we are confronted with two possible but conflicting conclusions, we will choose the one most logically designed to cure the mischief or inequity that the legislature was attempting to accomplish."
In re Collicott, 2001 WY 35, 9, 20 P.3d 1077, 1080 (Wyo.2001). We presume that statutes are enacted by the legislature with full knowledge of existing law, so we construe statutes in harmony with existing law, particularly other statutes relating to the same subject or having the same purpose....
Statutes must be construed so that no portion is rendered meaningless.... Interpretation should not produce an absurd result.... We are guided by the full text of the statute, paying attention to its internal structure and the functional relation between the parts and the whole.... Each word of a statute is to be afforded meaning, with none rendered superfluous.... Further, the meaning afforded to a word should be that word's standard popular meaning unless another meaning is clearly intended.... If the meaning of a word is unclear, it should be afforded the meaning that best accomplishes the statute's purpose.... We presume that the legislature acts intentionally when it uses particular language in one statute, but not in another.... If two sections of legislation appear to conflict, they should be given a reading that gives them both effect.
Rodriguez v. Casey, 2002 WY 111, 9-10, 50 P.3d 323, 326-27 (Wyo. 2002). In addition, it is a well-known principle of law that courts are not free to legislate. The fi
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