Francis v. United Jersey Bank, 87 N.J. 15, 432 A.2d 814 (1981). Student Pub. Interest Research Group v. Byrne, 86 N.J. 592, 432 A.2d 507 (1981). Westfield Ctr. Serv
In reaching this conclusion, we are guided by the purpose and intent of the Constitution. See Student Public Int. ResearchGroup v. Byrne, 86 N.J. 592, 596-601 (1981); Vreeland v.Byrne, 72 N.J. 292, 306-07 (1977); Myers v. United States, 272 U.S. 52, 47 S.Ct. 21, 71 L.Ed. 160 (1927). Courts are admonished to find and to heed the intent of legislators, constitutional as well as statutory.
"Shall" has also been used to designate a tense or time. See Student Pub. Interest Research Group of N.J.v. Byrne, 86 N.J. 592, 598-99, 432 A.2d 507 (1981) ("shall have been" in the context of the New Jersey constitutional provision concerning salary increases for legislators during their term of office is the use of the future perfect tense identifying "that which must occur before the future event."). But as a commentator on statutory construction has observed: