---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only Lawyers and mental defectives are…"
description: "\"Only Lawyers and mental defectives are automatically exempt for jury duty.\" — George Bernard Shaw"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/george-bernard-shaw-68_constitution_only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-a_1820927.png"
---

#  Only Lawyers and mental defectives are automatically…

![“Only Lawyers and mental defectives are automatically exempt for jury duty.” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/george-bernard-shaw-68_constitution_only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-a_1820927.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/george-bernard-shaw-68_constitution_only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-a_1820927.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/george-bernard-shaw-68_constitution_only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-a_1820927.png)

> “Only Lawyers and mental defectives are automatically exempt for jury duty.”

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Shaw mocks the exemption of lawyers and those deemed mentally unfit from jury duty, highlighting perceived bias in civic responsibilities.

**In simple terms:** Lawyers and mentally unfit are exempt from jury duty.

Key Takeaway

Question the fairness of exemptions.

Themes

justice bias civic duty

Mood

skeptical critical

Type

satirical social commentary

When to use this quote

- court juries
- legal reforms
- citizen participation

Key Concepts

Legal privilege mental health stigma

Questions to Reflect On

- Who should be exempt from jury duty?
- How does bias affect justice?

A Different Perspective

Exemptions may undermine representativeness.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Automatically Exempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/automatically-exempt-2193056/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Exempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exempt/) [Exempt Jury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exempt-jury-2193054/) [Jury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jury/) [Jury duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jury-duty/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Sarcastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sarcastic/)

## Related quotes

> [When you go into court you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who werent smart enough to get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/when-you-go-into-court-you-are-putting-your-fate-into-the-hands-of/)

[SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/)

> [It is not only the juror's right, but his duty to find the verdict according to his own best understanding, judgment and conscience, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/it-is-not-only-the-juror-s-right-but-his-duty-to-find-the-verdict/)

[John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/)

> [Lazy people know how to avoid jury duty, then again, who needs a jury ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grass-hopper/lazy-people-know-how-to-avoid-jury-duty-then-again-who-needs-a-jury/)

[Grass Hopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grass-hopper/)

> [Equality, in a social sense, may be divided into that of condition, and that of rights. Equality of condition is incompatible with civilization, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/equality-in-a-social-sense-may-be-divided-into-that-of-condition-and/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [So far, I've never missed a deadline for a term paper, a review, a manuscript. I perform the mumbo-jumbo of voting with belief in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/so-far-i-ve-never-missed-a-deadline-for-a-term-paper-a-review-a/)

[William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/)

> [ If the question \[before justices of the peace\] relate to any point of public liberty, or if it be one of those in which… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/if-the-question-before-justices-of-the-peace-relate-to-any-point-of/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [Political systems are run by self-selecting politicians. We don't draft people; it's not jury duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/political-systems-are-run-by-self-selecting-politicians-we-don-t/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Along with voting, jury duty, and paying taxes, goofing off is one of the central obligations of American citizenship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/along-with-voting-jury-duty-and-paying-taxes-goofing-off-is-one-of/)

[Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/)

> [I had only been a citizen for two weeks when I received a summons to appear for jury duty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-trebek/i-had-only-been-a-citizen-for-two-weeks-when-i-received-a-summons-to/)

[Alex Trebek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-trebek/)

> [When you go into court you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren't smart enough to get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-crosby/when-you-go-into-court-you-are-putting-your-fate-into-the-hands-of-2/)

[Norm Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-crosby/)

> [If you were summoned for jury duty and you didn't show up, what would happen? You'd be in jail!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/if-you-were-summoned-for-jury-duty-and-you-didn-t-show-up-what-would/)

[Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/)

> [It's rare to find someone excited over jury duty. If they're out there, I've never met them. Not a one. When the summons for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-brett/it-s-rare-to-find-someone-excited-over-jury-duty-if-they-re-out-there/)

[Regina Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-brett/)

> [The great thing about our system of democracy is when they call you for jury duty, you have to come... It's an honor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-villaraigosa/the-great-thing-about-our-system-of-democracy-is-when-they-call-you/)

[Antonio Villaraigosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-villaraigosa/)

> [I got put on jury duty, which is where I learned how to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-russell/i-got-put-on-jury-duty-which-is-where-i-learned-how-to-write/)

[David O. Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-russell/)

> [“During voir dire, the interviews for jury selection, each person is asked under oath about their experience with the criminal justice system, as defendant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-conlon/during-voir-dire-the-interviews-for-jury-selection-each-person-is/)

[Edward Conlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-conlon/)

## More by George Bernard Shaw

> [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [Men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/men-have-to-do-some-awfully-mean-things-to-keep-up-their/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

[Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

## More Constitution quotes

> [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

> [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/)

[Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/)

[Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/)

> [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/)

[John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/)

> [The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-bird/the-judiciary-must-not-take-on-the-coloration-of-whatever-may-be/)

[Rose Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-bird/)

> [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/)

[Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/)

> [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-to-ensure-that-the/)

[Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/)

> [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/)

[Joe Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pitts/)

> [Nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. Truth alone is final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sumner/nothing-from-man-s-hands-nor-law-nor-constitution-can-be-final-truth/)

[Charles Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sumner/)

> [“I am apprehensive, Sir, that in the warmth of my feelings, I may have uttered expressions, which were too vehement. If such has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-am-apprehensive-sir-that-in-the-warmth-of-my-feelings-i-may-have/)

[Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/)

> [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

[Browse all 4,507 Constitution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Only Lawyers and mental defectives are automatically exempt for jury duty.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Bernard Shaw"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-automatically-exempt-for-jury/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Constitution"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-automatically-exempt-for-jury/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/george-bernard-shaw-68_constitution_only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-a_1820927.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/george-bernard-shaw-68_constitution_only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-a_1820927.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fe/george-bernard-shaw-68_constitution_only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-a_1820927.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Only Lawyers and mental defectives are automatically exempt for jury duty.” — George Bernard Shaw",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "George Bernard Shaw",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Only Lawyers and mental defectives are...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-automatically-exempt-for-jury/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/only-lawyers-and-mental-defectives-are-automatically-exempt-for-jury/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
