• Generally speaking, qualifying words restrict or modify only the words or phrases to which they are immediately associated. They do not qualify words or phrases which are distantly or remotely located. • In other words, in the absence of legislative intent to the contrary, preferential and qualifying words and phrases must be applied only to their immediate or last antecedent, and not to the other remote or preceding words or association of words. This rule of legal hermeneutics is commonly known as the doctrine of last antecedent. • The maxim expressive of this rule is ad proximum antecedens fiat relatio nisi impediatur sententia or relative words refer to the nearest antecedents, unless the context otherwise requires.