We prate of freedom; we are in deadly fear of life, as much of our own American scene betrays. — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is… — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
When I say that a thing is true, I mean that I cannot help believing it... But...I do not venture to assume that my… — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
'I beseech ye . . . , think that ye may be mistaken.' I should like to have that written over the portals of… — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
If the prosecution of crime is to be conducted with so little regard for that protection which centuries of English law have given to… — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
I beseech ye in the bowels of Christ, think that ye may be mistaken." I should like to have that written over the portals of every church, every school, and every courthouse, and, may I say, of every legislative body in the United States. I should like to have every court begin, "I beseech ye in the bowels of Christ,… — Learned Hand Copy Share
What seems fair enough against a squalid huckster of bad liquor may take on a different face, if used by government determined to suppress… — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
The spirit of liberty is the spirit of him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned ... . — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
I had rather take my chance that some traitors will escape detection than spread abroad a spirit of general suspicion and distrust, which accepts… — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
The successful competitor, having been urged to compete, must not be turned upon when he wins. — Learned Hand Copy Share Image
It is often hard to secure unanimity about the borders of legislative power, but that is much easier than to decide how far a particular adjustment diverges from what the judges deem tolerable. On such issues experience has over and over again shown the difficulty of securing unanimity. This is disastrous because disunity cancels the impact of monolithic solidarity on… — Learned Hand Copy Share
Each one of us must in the end choose for himself how far he would like to leave our collective fate to the wayward vagaries of popular assemblies For myself it would be most irksome to be ruled by a bevy of Platonic Guardians, even if I knew how to choose them, which I assuredly do not I should miss… — Learned Hand Copy Share
