--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wonder if there's just a sense that we…" description: "\"I wonder if there's just a sense that we have nothing to learn from any Supreme Court justice, including the great Chief Justice John Marshall.\" — Dahl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/dahlia-lithwick-17366_chief-justice_i-wonder-if-there-s-just-a-sense-that-we_3107121.jpg" --- # I wonder if there's just a sense that we have nothing to… ![“I wonder if there's just a sense that we have nothing to learn from any Supreme Court justice, including the great Chief Justice John Marshall.” quote by Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/dahlia-lithwick-17366_chief-justice_i-wonder-if-there-s-just-a-sense-that-we_3107121.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/dahlia-lithwick-17366_chief-justice_i-wonder-if-there-s-just-a-sense-that-we_3107121.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/dahlia-lithwick-17366_chief-justice_i-wonder-if-there-s-just-a-sense-that-we_3107121.jpg) > “I wonder if there's just a sense that we have nothing to learn from any Supreme Court justice, including the great Chief Justice John Marshall.” [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote expresses skepticism that Supreme Court justices, even historic ones like John Marshall, offer valuable lessons for contemporary understanding. **In simple terms:** Questioning the relevance of past judicial insights. Key Takeaway Consider the limits of historical legal lessons. Themes law history critical thinking Mood skeptical analytical Type critical reflective When to use this quote - legal education - public policy debates - law school curricula Key Concepts judicial precedent institutional learning Questions to Reflect On - How can we extract timeless principles from past decisions? - When might past rulings mislead current interpretations? A Different Perspective Historical context may differ, limiting direct applicability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chiefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Supreme court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court/) [Supreme court justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court-justice/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [She wanted us to feel we were above everyone in the town. She really did tell us that we were related to Chief Justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-wray/she-wanted-us-to-feel-we-were-above-everyone-in-the-town-she-really/) [Fay Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-wray/) > [Western civilization has been at war with tribalism for 3,000 years. And that war was brought to the New World by the English colonists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-williams-jr/western-civilization-has-been-at-war-with-tribalism-for-3-000-years/) [Robert A. Williams, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-williams-jr/) > [“Justice John Marshall Harlan, who famously admonished his fellow jurists and the nation as a whole: “Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/justice-john-marshall-harlan-who-famously-admonished-his-fellow/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [ I was pleased to see that Chief Justice \[John\] Roberts refused to prejudge issues or make promises in exchange for confirmation votes. We're all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kyl/i-was-pleased-to-see-that-chief-justice-john-roberts-refused-to/) [Jon Kyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kyl/) > [If, even as the price to be paid for a fifth vote, I ever joined an opinion for the Court that began: 'The Constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/if-even-as-the-price-to-be-paid-for-a-fifth-vote-i-ever-joined-an/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [ If \[a United States Supreme Court Justice is\] in the doghouse with the Chief \[Justice\], he gets the crud. He gets the tax cases. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-a-blackmun/if-a-united-states-supreme-court-justice-is-in-the-doghouse-with-the/) [Harry A. Blackmun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-a-blackmun/) > [At the federal level, I believe we should address inequality by reforming our criminal justice system, including demilitarizing our law enforcement departments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/at-the-federal-level-i-believe-we-should-address-inequality-by-2/) [Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/) > [“Social justice is for everyone, including people with disabilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/social-justice-is-for-everyone-including-people-with-disabilities/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [“...if George Washington founded the nation, John Marshall defined it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-edward-smith/if-george-washington-founded-the-nation-john-marshall-defined-it/) [Jean Edward Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-edward-smith/) > [If you could say of any one individual that the court as an institution is the length and shadow of that individual, surely it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rehnquist/if-you-could-say-of-any-one-individual-that-the-court-as-an/) [William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/) > [What John Marshall says is that right of occupancy can be taken away by purchase, conquest or any other means. So the reason that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-williams-jr/what-john-marshall-says-is-that-right-of-occupancy-can-be-taken-away/) [Robert A. Williams, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-williams-jr/) > [What this ideology, what this myth about savagery did was really excuse America for the disappearance of the Indian. It wasn't our fault. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-williams-jr/what-this-ideology-what-this-myth-about-savagery-did-was-really/) [Robert A. Williams, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-williams-jr/) > [My gift of John Marshall to the people of the United States was the proudest act of my life. There is no act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall/my-gift-of-john-marshall-to-the-people-of-the-united-states-was-the/) [John Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall/) > [“On behalf of the deference under the Administrative Procedure Act, it is said that Congress is not constitutionally barred from authorizing deference—as if Congress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hamburger/on-behalf-of-the-deference-under-the-administrative-procedure-act-it/) [Philip Hamburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hamburger/) > [“in the words of jurist John Marshall of the U.S. Supreme Court, “the power to tax involves the power to destroy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-g-chang/in-the-words-of-jurist-john-marshall-of-the-u-s-supreme-court-the/) [Gordon G. Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-g-chang/) ## More by Dahlia Lithwick > [Never believe in any faith younger than you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/never-believe-in-any-faith-younger-than-you-are/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [I think particularly on the left, progressives wanted more bombast and more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/i-think-particularly-on-the-left-progressives-wanted-more-bombast-and/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [Thurgood Marshall was uniquely able to understand and comprehend what it meant to grow up in the Jim Crow south.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/thurgood-marshall-was-uniquely-able-to-understand-and-comprehend-what/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [Taking legislative authority away from the federal government doesn't necessarily mean freer individuals. It might just mean granting vastly more authority to the states--which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/taking-legislative-authority-away-from-the-federal-government-doesn-t/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [There can be no difference between same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples anywhere in the USA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/there-can-be-no-difference-between-same-sex-couples-and-opposite-sex/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [Over the past few years, the Supreme Court was six times more likely to accept cases from an elite group of 66 lawyers than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/over-the-past-few-years-the-supreme-court-was-six-times-more-likely/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [I've been thinking so much about how grateful I am to cover the court because the constraints of calm and civility are really palpable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/i-ve-been-thinking-so-much-about-how-grateful-i-am-to-cover-the-court/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [ I'm hardly the first person to say that you've \[Jeffrey Rosen\] written a book about a person who has more to say about the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/i-m-hardly-the-first-person-to-say-that-you-ve-jeffrey-rosen-written/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [We don't care what the framers would have thought of violent video games. Times are changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/we-don-t-care-what-the-framers-would-have-thought-of-violent-video/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [ A lot of conservative writers have twisted that argument in the conversation around Judge \[Gonzalo\] Curiel and said this is identity politics as played… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/a-lot-of-conservative-writers-have-twisted-that-argument-in-the/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [Even Merrick Garland can't get up and give a press conference in which he says, "Give me a damn vote." We just hear silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/even-merrick-garland-can-t-get-up-and-give-a-press-conference-in/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [For the most part, much of the legal world's attention has been focused on Donald Trump and his attacks on Gonzalo Curiel, the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/for-the-most-part-much-of-the-legal-world-s-attention-has-been/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [I just don't think we think about jurists as rock stars or great thinkers, particularly in the political world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/i-just-don-t-think-we-think-about-jurists-as-rock-stars-or-great/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [The Framers were no more interested in binding future Americans to a set of divinely inspired commandments than any of us would wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/the-framers-were-no-more-interested-in-binding-future-americans-to-a/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [One of the things that drives me batty is people who think they're court watchers, who say, "Oh, Clarence Thomas. You know, his clerks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/one-of-the-things-that-drives-me-batty-is-people-who-think-they-re/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) [Explore all 37 Dahlia Lithwick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) ## More Chief justice quotes > [I was asked three times directly in the hearing before the board of the judiciary whether or not I would continue to acknowledge God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-moore/i-was-asked-three-times-directly-in-the-hearing-before-the-board-of/) [Roy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-moore/) > [Even before the hearings that led to confirmation of Chief Justice Roberts, senators were saying they were reserving judgment on how they would vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/even-before-the-hearings-that-led-to-confirmation-of-chief-justice/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [I never place limits on the potential success of my students. If they're going into acting, they're going to win the Oscar... If they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-never-place-limits-on-the-potential-success-of-my-students-if-they/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [The Stamp Act was a direct tax imposed on the colonies by King George III. This act inevitably led to the American Revolution. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-stamp-act-was-a-direct-tax-imposed-on-the-colonies-by-king-george/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [She wanted us to feel we were above everyone in the town. She really did tell us that we were related to Chief Justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-wray/she-wanted-us-to-feel-we-were-above-everyone-in-the-town-she-really/) [Fay Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-wray/) > [I have high respect for the Chief Justice and the institution he represents. But, I equally demand respect to the institution I represent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-ponce-enrile/i-have-high-respect-for-the-chief-justice-and-the-institution-he/) Juan Ponce Enrile > [ It is extraordinary that each of the three individuals this president \[ George W. Bush\] has nominated for the Supreme Court - Chief Justice… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-is-extraordinary-that-each-of-the-three-individuals-this-president/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The irony of the Supreme Court hearing on these cases last week and of the outright hostility that the Court has displayed against religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-stearns/the-irony-of-the-supreme-court-hearing-on-these-cases-last-week-and/) [Cliff Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-stearns/) > [On the whole, yes, I would rather be the Chief Justice of the United States, and a quieter life than that which becomes at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/on-the-whole-yes-i-would-rather-be-the-chief-justice-of-the-united/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [It is inexplicable as to why the Chief Justice or other judges of the Supreme Court are unwilling to disclose their assets, particularly when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prashant-bhushan/it-is-inexplicable-as-to-why-the-chief-justice-or-other-judges-of-the/) [Prashant Bhushan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prashant-bhushan/) > [Within the brain's most secret cells, A certain lord chief justice dwells, Of sov'reign power, whom one and all, With common voice we reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/within-the-brain-s-most-secret-cells-a-certain-lord-chief-justice/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [The Chief Justice's ... main point seemed to be that the references to God in the Pledge of Allegiance aren't really religious and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-buckner/the-chief-justice-s-main-point-seemed-to-be-that-the-references-to/) [Ed Buckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-buckner/) > [Got good news and bad news for you, Mr. President. 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