Joseph Story Quotes

Our system presumes that there are certain principles that are more important than the temper of the times. And you must have a judge who is detached, who is independent, who is fair, who is committed only to those principles, and not public pressures of other sort.

All judges have cases that touch our passions deeply, but we all struggle constantly with remaining impartial.

If the country comes to believe that judges are politicians in robes no end of difficulty will come from that.

To go against a torrent of public passion is not easy even for independent judges.

The inflexible and uniform adherence to the rights of the constitution and of individuals, which we perceive to be indispensable in the courts of justice, can certainly not be expected from judges who hold their offices by a temporary commission.

Judges ... rule on the basis of law, not public opinion, and they should be totally indifferent to pressures of the times.

A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge... stretching for results he prefers rather than those the law demands.

As, for the safety of society, we commit honest maniacs to Bedlam, so judges should be withdrawn from their bench, whose erroneous biases are leading us to dissolution. It may indeed injure them in fame or in fortune; but it saves the republic, which is the first and supreme law.

What is it that makes us trust our judges? Their independence in office and manner of appointment.

My obligation as president, and what I promise the country, is that the courts will be able to do their job free of all pressure.

And the problem is once you get into this campaign business and begin to have a lot of money, then the person on the bench begins to think - what's going to happen if I decide the case this way or that way?

I don't know how a judge can concentrate on being fair and impartial when he or she is faced with possible jail time for making a decision that others deem incorrect.

Nobody wants a judge to be subject to the political whim of the moment.

The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have to tell people things they often do not like to hear.

Judges must be free from political intervention or intimidation.

I will be vigilant to protect the independence and integrity of the Supreme Court, and I will work to ensure that it upholds the rule of law and safeguards those liberties that make this land one of endless possibilities for all Americans.

That judges of important causes should hold office for life is not a good thing, for the mind grows old as well as the body.

It's important not to get into the business of characterizing judges based on one decision they make

If a judge does his job right, you [the observer] will never know how he personally feels about the policies he may have to rule on.

As, for the safety of society, we commit honest maniacs to Bedlam, so judges should be withdrawn from the bench, whose erroneous biases are leading us to dissolution.

Our judges are as honest as other men and not more so. They have, with others, the same passions for party, for power, and the privilege of their corps.

The [English] constitution does not allow reasons of state to influence our [the judges] judgement. God forbid that it should. We must not regard political consequences, however formidable they may be.

Judges shall judge justly, according to the written law and not according to their own judgment.

The judge may not … express his … personal beliefs ... as to what is right or just

I have written this treatise because there are judges who decide cases according to their own will rather than by the authority of the laws