--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember when John Roberts was seeking…" description: "\"Remember when John Roberts was seeking confirmation of the Supreme Court, and he said judges should be just like umpires, just calling balls and strike..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/frank-deford-3856_baseball_remember-when-john-roberts-was-seeking-c_1520807.jpg" --- # Remember when John Roberts was seeking confirmation of the… ![“Remember when John Roberts was seeking confirmation of the Supreme Court, and he said judges should be just like umpires, just calling balls and strikes? Well, turnabout is fair play. What baseball needs behind the plate are umpires like those judges who are called strict constructionists, which…” quote by Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/frank-deford-3856_baseball_remember-when-john-roberts-was-seeking-c_1520807.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/frank-deford-3856_baseball_remember-when-john-roberts-was-seeking-c_1520807.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/158/frank-deford-3856_baseball_remember-when-john-roberts-was-seeking-c_1520807.jpg) > “Remember when John Roberts was seeking confirmation of the Supreme Court, and he said judges should be just like umpires, just calling balls and strikes? Well, turnabout is fair play. What baseball needs behind the plate are umpires like those judges who are called strict constructionists, which means you follow subtle law to the letter.” [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Judges should be impartial arbiters, like umpires, applying law strictly without personal bias. **In simple terms:** Judges must be neutral like umpires. Key Takeaway Uphold strict construction. Themes law impartiality judicial philosophy Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - court hearings - legislative debates - public policy discussions - media analysis Key Concepts legalism constitutional interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How can judges balance literal interpretation with fairness? - When should flexibility be allowed? A Different Perspective Strict construction can ignore evolving societal values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Fair play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair-play/) [Judges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judges/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) ## Related quotes > [Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules. They apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/judges-are-like-umpires-umpires-don-t-make-the-rules-they-apply-them/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [Umpires are like emotional girlfriends, once they make up their minds, there is no point in arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitry-tursunov/umpires-are-like-emotional-girlfriends-once-they-make-up-their-minds/) Dmitry Tursunov > [Bishops are like umpires. 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