--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my experience, most federal…" description: "\"In my experience, most federal prosecutors, at every level, are seeking to make a name for themselves, and the best way to do that is by prosecuting so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/jed-s-rakoff-24994_almost_in-my-experience-most-federal-prosecutor_1498156.jpg" --- # In my experience, most federal prosecutors, at every… ![“In my experience, most federal prosecutors, at every level, are seeking to make a name for themselves, and the best way to do that is by prosecuting some high-level person. While companies that are indicted almost always settle, individual defendants whose careers are at stake will often go to…” quote by Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/jed-s-rakoff-24994_almost_in-my-experience-most-federal-prosecutor_1498156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/jed-s-rakoff-24994_almost_in-my-experience-most-federal-prosecutor_1498156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/jed-s-rakoff-24994_almost_in-my-experience-most-federal-prosecutor_1498156.jpg) > “In my experience, most federal prosecutors, at every level, are seeking to make a name for themselves, and the best way to do that is by prosecuting some high-level person. While companies that are indicted almost always settle, individual defendants whose careers are at stake will often go to trial.” [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prosecutors often pursue high‑profile cases to build reputations, while companies settle; individuals risk trial to protect careers. **In simple terms:** Prosecutors chase fame; companies settle; individuals face trial. Key Takeaway Weigh reputational risks. Themes law ethics career management Mood critical analytical Type legal observational When to use this quote - corporate investigations - high‑profile trials - career decisions Key Concepts legal strategy public perception Questions to Reflect On - Is fame a valid motive for prosecution? - How do settlements affect justice? A Different Perspective Settlements may hide truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Prosecuting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosecuting/) [Prosecutors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosecutors/) [Trial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trial/) ## Related quotes > [Federal prosecutors want to indict Julian Assange for making public a great many classified documents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/federal-prosecutors-want-to-indict-julian-assange-for-making-public-a/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Attorneys general, district attorneys, and federal prosecutors have a responsibility to separate their politics from their law enforcement powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/attorneys-general-district-attorneys-and-federal-prosecutors-have-a/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-am-asking-my-attorney-general-to-create-a-special-unit-of-federal/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Trump and Barr both insist that he has been cleared, but that's not what more than 1,000 former federal prosecutors who read the Mueller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-katyal/trump-and-barr-both-insist-that-he-has-been-cleared-but-that-s-not/) [Neal Katyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-katyal/) > [That is nice, Mr. Morgan. Because in response to your tough-guy speech, I, in turn, would’ve had to give you my tough-girl speech, about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/that-is-nice-mr-morgan-because-in-response-to-your-tough-guy-speech-i/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [You look forward. You don't go punitive. It's very small-minded to do that. There's campaign rhetoric, and then there's stuff that you actually do,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-look-forward-you-don-t-go-punitive-it-s-very-small-minded-to-do/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Printers shall be liable to legal prosecution for printing and publishing false facts injurious to the party prosecuting: but they shall be under no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/printers-shall-be-liable-to-legal-prosecution-for-printing-and/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I believe a child going without an education is tantamount to a crime. So I decided I was going to start prosecuting parents for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/i-believe-a-child-going-without-an-education-is-tantamount-to-a-crime/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [ "Some human activity linked to climate change." That bothers me much more than whether or not we're gonna be prosecuting Hillary \[Clinton\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/some-human-activity-linked-to-climate-change-that-bothers-me-much/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I love prosecuting cases, and I love doing investigations, particularly homicide investigations and the like, and that's why I became a prosecutor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-love-prosecuting-cases-and-i-love-doing-investigations-particularly/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [The point is that any law that makes criminals out of 15 million Americans is probably not such a good idea. The point was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-charles/the-point-is-that-any-law-that-makes-criminals-out-of-15-million/) [Josh Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-charles/) > [I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users. It's not a good use of our resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-would-not-have-the-justice-department-prosecuting-and-raiding/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Torture anywhere is an affront to human dignity everywhere... I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/torture-anywhere-is-an-affront-to-human-dignity-everywhere-i-call-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ \[Donald\] Trump is going to look into the notion of prosecuting Hillary \[Clinton\]. CNN has a graphic up , "Trump: Some human activity linked… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-going-to-look-into-the-notion-of-prosecuting-hillary/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I think that prosecuting some college kid because she shared a file is a lot like sending somebody to Australia 200 years ago for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-think-that-prosecuting-some-college-kid-because-she-shared-a-file/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) ## More by Jed S. Rakoff > [When I was a kid, and for many years after, I was your classic afraid-to-dance-type person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/when-i-was-a-kid-and-for-many-years-after-i-was-your-classic-afraid/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [It's very hard to uphold individual liberty when the person you're representing is often a crook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/it-s-very-hard-to-uphold-individual-liberty-when-the-person-you-re/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [The price of being a nice guy is too high - much too high - in terms of the system of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/the-price-of-being-a-nice-guy-is-too-high-much-too-high-in-terms-of/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [In baseball you have individual responsibility, and if you fail it, you get an error. But at the same time, your focus is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/in-baseball-you-have-individual-responsibility-and-if-you-fail-it-you/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [I was always attracted to taking a novel position, but one grounded in the materials I'd been given, not made up out of whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/i-was-always-attracted-to-taking-a-novel-position-but-one-grounded-in/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [Companies do not commit crimes; only their agents do. And while a company might get the benefit of some such crimes, prosecuting the company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/companies-do-not-commit-crimes-only-their-agents-do-and-while-a/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [I admired Truman, among many other things, because he integrated the Army. I admired JFK because the very first civil rights legislation was passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/i-admired-truman-among-many-other-things-because-he-integrated-the/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [If crimes are committed, they are committed by people; they are not committed by some free-floating entity. These companies and other entities don't operate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/if-crimes-are-committed-they-are-committed-by-people-they-are-not/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [I've never been impressed with bureaucratic tradition. I don't like it when the parties come to me and say, 'This is the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/i-ve-never-been-impressed-with-bureaucratic-tradition-i-don-t-like-it/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [One of the many things I like about baseball is how it combines individual talent and teamsmanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/one-of-the-many-things-i-like-about-baseball-is-how-it-combines/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [I think it's common sense to say that the longer away from a crime it gets prosecuted, the less deterrent effect there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/i-think-it-s-common-sense-to-say-that-the-longer-away-from-a-crime-it/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [Everything needs to be public. The legitimacy of the courts comes from the fact that they reason openly, on the record, based on facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/everything-needs-to-be-public-the-legitimacy-of-the-courts-comes-from/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [Why should the court impose a judgment in a case in which the SEC alleges a serious securities fraud, but the defendant neither admits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/why-should-the-court-impose-a-judgment-in-a-case-in-which-the-sec/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [If, in the name of combating terrorism, we so restrict our own freedom, have we not thereby lost part of the very battle we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/if-in-the-name-of-combating-terrorism-we-so-restrict-our-own-freedom/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) > [Judges have to be neutral, but they don't have to be eunuchs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/judges-have-to-be-neutral-but-they-don-t-have-to-be-eunuchs/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) [Explore all 23 Jed S. Rakoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) ## More Almost quotes > [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. I don't think I had ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/my-mother-worked-in-the-white-world-but-i-lived-almost-exclusively-in/) [Edward P. 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Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [If you watch wrestling, you now know the hip-hop culture is being represented with wrestling. For the longest time, the cultures have almost been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/if-you-watch-wrestling-you-now-know-the-hip-hop-culture-is-being/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [Almost every Monday I have a charity thing. I like that. I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/almost-every-monday-i-have-a-charity-thing-i-like-that-i-do/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. 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