What is "textualism"

n. 1 strict adherence to some text, especially to the Bible 2 textual criticism, especially that of the Bible

Textualism is a formalist theory of the interpretation of law, holding that a legal text's ordinary meaning should govern its interpretation, as opposed to inquiries into non-textual sources such as the intention of the legislature in passing the law, the problem it was intended to remedy, or substantive questions of the justice and rectitude of the law.