The following excerpt is from Desiderio v. Nat'l Ass'n Sec. Dealers, 191 F.3d 198 (2nd Cir. 1998):
The first step in interpreting a statute is to determine whether the language at issue has a "plain and unambiguous meaning with regard to the particular dispute in the case." Robinson v. Shell Oil Co., 519 U.S. 337, 340 (1997). "The plainness or ambiguity of statutory language is determined by reference to the language itself, the specific context in which that language is used, and the broader context of the statute as a whole." Id. at 341. If the text is unambiguous, the inquiry is at an end and we need proceed no further. See id. at 340.
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