914 quotes by judges for you to enjoy

Why in the world would you have it interpreted by nine lawyers? Antonin Scalia

You World Nine Would Lawyers Why Interpreted

Originalism is sort of subspecies of textualism. Textualism means you are governed by the text. That's the only thing that is relevant to your decision, not whether the outcome is desirable, not whether legislative history says this or that. But the text of the statute. Antonin Scalia

History You Decision Says Relevant Outcome Only Sort Governed Text Legislative The Only Thing Whether Means Your Thing Desirable

The court makes an amazing amount of decisions that ought to be made by the people. Antonin Scalia

People Amazing Made Ought Court Makes Decisions Amount By The People

Burning the flag is a form of expression. Speech doesn't just mean written words or oral words. It could be semaphore. And burning a flag is a symbol that expresses an idea - I hate the government, the government is unjust, whatever. Antonin Scalia

Government Hate Words Whatever Unjust Could Written Idea Flag Oral Just Form Burning Mean Expresses Expression Symbol Speech

What secret knowledge, one must wonder, is breathed into lawyers when they become Justices of this Court that enables them to discern that a practice which the text of the Constitution does not clearly proscribe, and which our people have regarded as constitutional for 200 years, is in fact unconstitutional? Antonin Scalia

Knowledge Constitution People Practice Become Secret Our Our People Must Constitutional Lawyers Fact Unconstitutional Clearly Discern Court Does Enables Years Text Wonder In Fact Regarded Which Justices Them Breathed

I am something of a contrarian, I suppose. I feel less comfortable when everybody agrees with me. I say, 'I better reexamine my position!' I probably believe that the worst opinions in my court have been unanimous. Because there's nobody on the other side pointing out all the flaws. Antonin Scalia

Me Better Believe Other Everybody Side Say Worst Out Unanimous Something Pointing Feel Nobody Suppose Comfortable Because Court Opinions Am Been Flaws Less Agree Position

Lawsuits are rare and catastrophic experiences for the vast majority of men, and even when the catastrophe ensues, the controversy relates most often not to the law, but to the facts. In countless litigations, the law Is so clear that judges have no discretion. Benjamin N. Cardozo

The outstanding truths of life, the great and unquestioned phenomena of society, are not to be argued away as myths and vagaries when they do not fit within our little moulds. If necessary, we must remake the moulds. Benjamin N. Cardozo

Life Great Society Our Must Unquestioned Remake Argued Myths Outstanding Within Fit Truths Little Away Necessary Phenomena

He who is unconscious of the ties which connect him with every individual of his species feels no obligation to make sacrifices for their welfare or happiness. Benjamin Robbins Curtis

Happiness Obligation Welfare Every Individual Sacrifices Unconscious He Feels Make Him Ties His Which Who Connect Species

The motto of my Jesuit high school was 'Men for others.' I've tried to live that creed. Brett Kavanaugh

School Men Live Others High Tried High School Motto Creed

In every human society, there is an effort continually tending to confer on one part the height of power and happiness, and to reduce the other to the extreme of weakness and misery. The intent of good laws is to oppose this effort and to diffuse their influence universally and equally. Cesare Beccaria

Happiness Good Power Oppose Every Society Diffuse Other Extreme Weakness Laws Misery Tending Part Equally Reduce Continually Effort Intent Human Influence Height Human Society Universally

If someone were to say that life at hard labor is as painful as death and therefore equally cruel, I should reply that, taking all the unhappy moments of perpetual slavery together, it is perhaps even more painful, but these moments are spread out over a lifetime, and capital punishment exercises all its power in an instant. Cesare Beccaria

Life Death Together Unhappy Power Say Punishment Out Someone More Lifetime Cruel Instant Taking Over Perhaps Equally Exercises Spread Were Perpetual Labor Reply Capital Capital Punishment Should Hard Painful Moments Therefore Even Slavery

When the code of laws is once fixed, it should be observed in the literal sense, and nothing more is left to the judge than to determine whether an action is or is not conformable to the written law. Cesare Beccaria

Judge Law Sense Nothing Action Once Determine Laws More Written Written Law Observed Left Than Fixed Literal Whether Should Code

We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our property and our liberty and our property under the Constitution. Charles Evans Hughes

Property Constitution Liberty Judiciary Our Say Safeguard Judges

War should be made a crime, and those who instigate it should be punished as criminals. Charles Evans Hughes

War Crime Made Criminals Those Punished Should Who

Impeachment must not be a raw exercise of political power in which the House impeaches whoever it wishes for any reason it deems sufficient. Indeed, it is the solemn duty of all of the members of the House in any impeachment case to exercise their judgment faithfully within the confines established by our Constitution. Charles T. Canady

Constitution Impeachment Political Political Power Power Judgment Duty Our Indeed Solemn Members Must Case Raw Wishes House Exercise Within Faithfully Any Established Confines Which Reason Whoever Sufficient

A healthy democracy requires a decent society; it requires that we are honorable, generous, tolerant and respectful. Charles W. Pickering

Politics Democracy Healthy Society Honorable Respectful Generous Decent Requires Tolerant

And I don't think that government has a role in telling people how to live their lives. Maybe a minister does, maybe your belief in God does, maybe there's another set of moral codes, but I don't think government has a role. Clarence Thomas

God Government People Live Think Telling Minister Moral Another Does How Role Maybe Your Belief Codes Lives Set

My job is to write opinions. I decide cases and write opinions. It is not to respond to idiocy and critics who make statements that are unfounded. That doesn't mean that people shouldn't have constructive criticisms, but it should be constructive. Clarence Thomas

People Job Statements Respond Criticisms Critics Cases Constructive Write Make Idiocy Opinions Decide Mean Should Who

My grandfather was a man, when he talked about freedom, his attitude was really interesting. His view was that you had obligations or you had responsibilities, and when you fulfilled those obligations or responsibilities, that then gave you the liberty to do other things. Clarence Thomas

You didn't think of angels as white or black. They were angels. Clarence Thomas

You Black White Think Angels Were

And I thank God I believe in God, or I would probably be enormously angry right now. Clarence Thomas

God Angry Thank God Believe Would Thank Now Right

Quotes by Judges