Constitution Quote by John Roberts
“Judges have to have the humility to recognize that they operate within a system of precedent, shaped by other judges equally striving to live up to the judicial oath.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Judicial conference remarks, 2015
Judges must acknowledge their reliance on precedent and the collective effort to uphold judicial oath.
In simple terms: Judges need humility about precedent.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility in law.
Themes
law
humility
precedent
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
legal
philosophical
When to use this quote
- court decisions
- legal education
- policy drafting
- ethical training
Key Concepts
judicial ethics
institutional memory
Questions to Reflect On
- How to balance tradition with necessary change?
- When should precedent be challenged?
A Different Perspective
Precedent can limit flexibility in novel cases.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
