---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acquittal of the guilty damns the judge."
description: "\"Acquittal of the guilty damns the judge.\" — Horace"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/horace-172_guilty_acquittal-of-the-guilty-damns-the-judge_1445978.jpg"
---

#  Acquittal of the guilty damns the judge.

![“Acquittal of the guilty damns the judge.” quote by Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/horace-172_guilty_acquittal-of-the-guilty-damns-the-judge_1445978.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/horace-172_guilty_acquittal-of-the-guilty-damns-the-judge_1445978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/horace-172_guilty_acquittal-of-the-guilty-damns-the-judge_1445978.jpg)

> “Acquittal of the guilty damns the judge.”

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

## About This Quote

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

When the guilty are acquitted, the justice system’s integrity is compromised, casting blame on the judge.

**In simple terms:** Acquittals of the guilty harm the judge’s reputation.

Key Takeaway

Uphold rigorous standards in judgments.

Themes

justice integrity law morality accountability

Mood

serious thoughtful

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

- court trials
- legal reforms
- public discourse
- media commentary

Key Concepts

legal ethics fairness judicial responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- How can judges protect their impartiality?
- What safeguards ensure fair verdicts?

A Different Perspective

Legal outcomes can be influenced by external pressures.

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[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [The breath Of accusation kills an innocent name, And leaves for lame acquittal the poor life, Which is a mask without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-breath-of-accusation-kills-an-innocent-name-and-leaves-for-lame/)

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> [In America, an acquittal doesn't mean you're innocent, it means you beat the rap. My clients lose even when they win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lee-bailey/in-america-an-acquittal-doesn-t-mean-you-re-innocent-it-means-you/)

[F. Lee Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lee-bailey/)

> [“Talk of "witch-hunts" conceals an inconvenient fact: men charged with rape stand a better chance of walking free than other defendants. The conviction rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-smith/talk-of-witch-hunts-conceals-an-inconvenient-fact-men-charged-with/)

[Joan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-smith/)

> [ Interestingly enough, I feel what the show \[OJ Simpson\] was able to accomplish in a really masterful way is that White America could look… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/interestingly-enough-i-feel-what-the-show-oj-simpson-was-able-to/)

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> [Mortality: not acquittal but a series of postponements is what we hope for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/mortality-not-acquittal-but-a-series-of-postponements-is-what-we-hope/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [I always received much more satisfaction as a defense attorney in obtaining an acquittal for a client than I ever have as a D.A.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-garrison/i-always-received-much-more-satisfaction-as-a-defense-attorney-in/)

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> [Lawyers have been known to wrest from reluctant juries triumphant verdicts of acquittal for their clients, even when those clients, as often happens, were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/lawyers-have-been-known-to-wrest-from-reluctant-juries-triumphant/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [“Roache's statement after his acquittal was dignified but his supporters were angry. They demanded to know why the case was ever brought, claiming that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-smith/roache-s-statement-after-his-acquittal-was-dignified-but-his/)

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## More by Horace

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> [“No jury in this part of the world's going to say, "We think you're guilty, but not very," on a charge like that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/no-jury-in-this-part-of-the-world-s-going-to-say-we-think-you-re/)

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