Famously Said Random quote

Topics/Government

Quotes about laws

126 quotes from 83 people

Most readBy personPage 4 of 9

It seems to me that any law that is not enforced and can’t be enforced weakens all other laws.
Robert A. Heinlein1907–1988Friday (1982), Chapter 23 (p. 241)
I suspect that there are just two sorts of lawyers: those who spend their efforts making life easy for other people⁠—and parasites.
Robert A. Heinlein1907–1988Friday (1982), Chapter 24 (p. 257)
- Clever Jabs
When you go to prison they forget it’s your Constitution, too.
Jimmy Hoffa1913–1975Hoffa The Real Story (1975), Chapter 12, Convict, p. 187
- Justice
That, at any rate, is the theory of our Constitution. It is an experiment, as all life is an experiment.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.1841–1935Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 (1919), 250 U.S. 616; 630.
The power to tax is not the power to destroy while this Court sits.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.1841–1935Panhandle Oil Co. v. Mississippi ex rel. Knox, 277 U.S. 233 (1928).
- Government
The aim of the law is not to punish sins, but is to prevent certain external results.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.1841–1935Commonwealth v. Kennedy, 170 Mass. 18, 20 (1897) (opinion of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts).
Constitutions are intended to preserve practical and substantial rights, not to maintain theories.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.1841–1935Davis v. Mills, 194 U.S. 451, 457 (1904).
- Government
The interpretation of constitutional principles must not be too literal. We must remember that the machinery of government would not work if it were not allowed a little play in its joints.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.1841–1935Writing for the Court, Bain Peanut Co. v. Pinson, 282 U.S. 499, 501 (1931).
- Government
All laws for the purpose of making man worship God, are born of the same spirit that kindled the fires of the auto da fe, and lovingly built the dungeons of the Inquisition.
Robert G. Ingersoll1833–1899Some Mistakes of Moses (1879) Section III, “The Politicians”.
- Anti-Religion
An infinite God ought to be able to protect himself, without going in partnership with State Legislatures.
Robert G. Ingersoll1833–1899Some Mistakes of Moses (1879) Section III, “The Politicians”.
- Anti-Religion
- Clever Jabs
This Court is forever adding new stories to the temples of constitutional law, and the temples have a way of collapsing when one story too many is added.
Robert H. Jackson1892–1954Douglas v. Jeannette, 319 U.S. 157, 181 (1943)
Knowing that religion does not furnish grosser bigots than law, I expect little from old judges.
Thomas Jefferson1743–1826Letter to Thomas Cooper (1810)
- Clever Jabs
Some men look at constitutions with sanctimonious reverence and deem them like the ark of the covenant, too sacred to be touched.
Thomas Jefferson1743–1826Letter to H. Tompkinson (AKA Samuel Kercheval) (1816)
- Government
The law is the last result of human wisdom acting upon human experience for the benefit of the public.
Samuel Johnson1709–1784Anecdotes of Samuel Johnson (1786), p. 111
No oppression is so heavy or lasting as that which is inflicted by the perversion and exorbitance of legal authority.
Samuel Johnson1709–1784The Rambler (1750–1752), No. 148 (17 August 1751)
- Power