Follow Quote by Charles T. Canady
“My job is to follow the law, not to make up the law that has been promulgated by the people or the people's representatives.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Judicial Oath, United States, 2020
A judge's duty is to apply existing law, not to create new legislation.
In simple terms: Judges enforce, not legislate.
Respect the law as written.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- courtroom decisions
- legislative drafting
- public policy debates
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance personal conscience with legal duty?
- When is it appropriate to challenge existing law?
Judges may face ambiguous statutes requiring interpretation.