The judicial branch has, in its finest hours, stood firmly on the side of individuals against those who would trample their rights.
The purity of the critical ermine, like that of the judicial, is often soiled by contact with politics.
I'll refrain from making any more comments on any ongoing people involved in the judicial process.
Scorecards are common in the political process, but they are inappropriate in the judicial process. The most important tools in the judicial confirmation process are not litmus paper and a calculator.
Our Parliamentary system has simply failed to meet the challenge of judicial activism.
One is entitled to say without qualification that the correlation between prior judicial experience and fitness for the Supreme Court is zero.
Imagine a judicial nominee said 'my experience as a white man makes me better than a Latina woman. ' Wouldn't they have to withdraw? New racism is no better than old racism.
Yet far from putting any meaningful constraints on law enforcement in this war, the U. S. Supreme Court has given the police license to stop and search just about anyone, in any public place, without a shred of evidence of criminal activity, and it has also closed the courthouse doors to claims of racial bias at every stage of the judicial process from stops and searches to plea bargaining and sentencing.
Behind this judicial wall of separation there is a tyranny of lies that will fall. . . I say to you, my friends, let it fall!
To be effective, judicial administration must not be leaden-footed.
When the spotless ermine of the judicial robe fell on John Jay, it touched nothing less spotless than itself.
As an exercise of raw judicial power, the Court perhaps has authority to do what it does today; but, in my view, its judgment is an improvident and extravagant exercise of the power of judicial review that the Constitution extends to this Court.
Judge [Samuel] Alito, I'll tell you the same thing I told John Roberts. I expect you to adhere to the Code of Judicial Conduct.
An important and fundamental premise of the American judicial system is the presumption of innocence, that is until proven guilty.
If you are not proud of your cellar, there is no thrill of satisfaction in seeing your guest hold up his wineglass to the light and look judicial.
[Louis] Brandeis is often painted as an acolyte of judicial restraint, or the view that judges should uphold laws whether or not they like them.
In the political context fair means somebody that will vote for the unions or for the business. It can't mean that in the judicial context or we're in real trouble.
There is a difference between constitutional government and judicial dictatorship. And I think it's time we remembered that our Constitution was not put together in order to establish the sovereignty of the judges, it was framed in order to guarantee the sovereignty of the people.
Judicial excellence requires candor before confirmation. We are being asked to give the nominee enormous power.
It is hard to see Judge Roberts as a judicial activist who would place ideological purity or a particular agenda above or ahead the need for thoughtful legal reasoning.