--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the Constitution says that the little…" description: "\"If the Constitution says that the little guy should win, the little guy is going to win in court before me, ... But if the Constitution says that the b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/john-roberts-13892_big-guy_if-the-constitution-says-that-the-little_254364.jpg" --- # If the Constitution says that the little guy should win… ![“If the Constitution says that the little guy should win, the little guy is going to win in court before me, ... But if the Constitution says that the big guy should win, well, then the big guy is going to win because my obligation is to the Constitution.” quote by John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/john-roberts-13892_big-guy_if-the-constitution-says-that-the-little_254364.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/john-roberts-13892_big-guy_if-the-constitution-says-that-the-little_254364.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/john-roberts-13892_big-guy_if-the-constitution-says-that-the-little_254364.jpg) > “If the Constitution says that the little guy should win, the little guy is going to win in court before me, ... But if the Constitution says that the big guy should win, well, then the big guy is going to win because my obligation is to the Constitution.” [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Constitution obliges the judge to apply the law impartially, regardless of personal or party interests. **In simple terms:** Judges must follow the Constitution, not personal bias. Key Takeaway Uphold constitutional fidelity above all. Themes law judiciary constitution Mood formal thoughtful Type judicial philosophical When to use this quote - court rulings - legal education - policy debates - public trust Key Concepts legal ethics impartiality Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal convictions with constitutional duty? - What safeguards ensure judicial neutrality? A Different Perspective Political pressure can challenge impartiality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-guy/) [Big guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-guys/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitution Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution-says-260433/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Court Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court-constitution-2521974/) [Going Win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-win-343843/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Obligation Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation-constitution-2521972/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Win Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-obligation-2521973/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [For in a government of laws and not of men, no man, however prominent or powerful, and no mob however unruly or boisterous, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/for-in-a-government-of-laws-and-not-of-men-no-man-however-prominent/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [There is no sentence in the United States Constitution that says the president's children cannot be indicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-whitaker/there-is-no-sentence-in-the-united-states-constitution-that-says-the/) [Matthew Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-whitaker/) > [If the Constitution says that marriage is between a man and woman, then things that are inconsistent with that would be inconsistent with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/if-the-constitution-says-that-marriage-is-between-a-man-and-woman/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [The Constitution exists precisely so that opinions and judgments, including esthetic and moral judgments about art and literature, can be formed, tested, and expressed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kennedy/the-constitution-exists-precisely-so-that-opinions-and-judgments/) [Anthony Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kennedy/) > [The Constitution says nothing about anchor babies. The 14th Amendment says nothing about birthright citizenship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-constitution-says-nothing-about-anchor-babies-the-14th-amendment/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers and imaginative creators, the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/with-school-turning-out-more-runners-jumpers-racers-tinkerers-2/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I believe in the Constitution. The Constitution says that government isn't supposed to be infusing religion into our society, and so I asked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-newdow/i-believe-in-the-constitution-the-constitution-says-that-government/) [Michael Newdow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-newdow/) > [There is no asterisk in the Constitution that says 'except for hate speech.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-colmes/there-is-no-asterisk-in-the-constitution-that-says-except-for-hate/) [Alan Colmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-colmes/) > [There's no religious test under the constitution. That's what it says. Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/there-s-no-religious-test-under-the-constitution-that-s-what-it-says/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [The Constitution says that troops can be in the Philippines if there's a treaty that provides for it, and we have two treaties with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/the-constitution-says-that-troops-can-be-in-the-philippines-if-there/) [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/) > [Our State Constitution says that 'the people of this State have the sole and exclusive right of governing themselves as a free, sovereign, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sununu/our-state-constitution-says-that-the-people-of-this-state-have-the/) [Chris Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sununu/) > [“With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers, and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers, and imaginative creators, the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/with-school-turning-out-more-runners-jumpers-racers-tinkerers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“And wasn't it this bright boy you selected for beating and tortures after hours? Of course it was. We must all be alike. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/and-wasn-t-it-this-bright-boy-you-selected-for-beating-and-tortures/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We have laws against torture. The Constitution says nothing whatever about torture. It speaks of punishment; 'cruel and unusual' punishments are forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/we-have-laws-against-torture-the-constitution-says-nothing-whatever/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Chinese citizens have never had the right to really express their opinions; in the constitution it says you can, but in the real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/chinese-citizens-have-never-had-the-right-to-really-express-their/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## More by John Roberts > [You can't fight for your rights if you don't know what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/you-can-t-fight-for-your-rights-if-you-don-t-know-what-they-are/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/judges-have-to-have-the-humility-to-recognize-that-they-operate/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [I will be vigilant to protect the independence and integrity of the Supreme Court, and I will work to ensure that it upholds the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/i-will-be-vigilant-to-protect-the-independence-and-integrity-of-the/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [There is no better gift a society can give children than the opportunity to grow up safe and free - the chance to pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/there-is-no-better-gift-a-society-can-give-children-than-the/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [President Ronald Reagan used to speak of the Soviet constitution, and he noted that it purported to grant wonderful rights of all sorts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/president-ronald-reagan-used-to-speak-of-the-soviet-constitution-and/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [When I worked in the Department of Justice, in the office of the solicitor general, it was my job to argue cases for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/when-i-worked-in-the-department-of-justice-in-the-office-of-the/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [While some of the tales of woe emanating from the court are enough to bring tears to the eyes, it is true that only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/while-some-of-the-tales-of-woe-emanating-from-the-court-are-enough-to/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [A chief justice's authority is really quite limited, and the dynamic among all the justices is going to affect whether he can accomplish much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/a-chief-justice-s-authority-is-really-quite-limited-and-the-dynamic/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [If children do not understand the Constitution, they cannot understand how our government functions, or what their rights and responsibilities are as citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/if-children-do-not-understand-the-constitution-they-cannot-understand/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [I think judicial temperament is a willingness to step back from your own committed views of the correct jurisprudential approach and evaluate those views…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/i-think-judicial-temperament-is-a-willingness-to-step-back-from-your/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [There is a risk of death associated with donating a piece of liver. It's about one in 500 for the risk of death. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/there-is-a-risk-of-death-associated-with-donating-a-piece-of-liver-it/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [An important function of the Supreme Court is to provide guidance, .. As a lower court judge, I appreciate clear guidance from the Supreme Court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/an-important-function-of-the-supreme-court-is-to-provide-guidance-as/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [Justice Rehnquist was friendly and unpretentious. He wore scuffed Hush Puppy shoes. That was my first lesson. Clothes do not make the man. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/justice-rehnquist-was-friendly-and-unpretentious-he-wore-scuffed-hush/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [If it's a situation in which the public is being given access, you can't discriminate against the media and say, as a general matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/if-it-s-a-situation-in-which-the-public-is-being-given-access-you-can/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [When we think about living donor transplant, what we're banking on is the ability of the liver to regenerate itself. Now, it's not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/when-we-think-about-living-donor-transplant-what-we-re-banking-on-is/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) [Explore all 48 John Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) ## More Big guy quotes > [Big guys like you and me aren't allowed to whine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/big-guys-like-you-and-me-aren-t-allowed-to-whine/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [Everyone says there's a lot of strength, a lot of big guys in defence, the Premier League is very fast and there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timo-werner/everyone-says-there-s-a-lot-of-strength-a-lot-of-big-guys-in-defence/) [Timo Werner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timo-werner/) > [Detroit has a history of a lot of great rebounders and big guys that have been great defenders. So for me to pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-drummond/detroit-has-a-history-of-a-lot-of-great-rebounders-and-big-guys-that/) [Andre Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-drummond/) > [I'm a big guy and I can't have any tiny tattoos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-m-a-big-guy-and-i-can-t-have-any-tiny-tattoos/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [ They pick me \[to be tested for steroids\] every time. I don't know why. I don't know if it's because I'm a big guy,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ortiz/they-pick-me-to-be-tested-for-steroids-every-time-i-don-t-know-why-i/) [David Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ortiz/) > [“I suppose that now you'll want to sleep with me?Alas big guy I'm taken.' 'No. you're not,'Regin said. 'Am too,' Nix said. 'Mike Rowe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-suppose-that-now-you-ll-want-to-sleep-with-me-alas-big-guy-i-m/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [My first interaction with Gene was that after I auditioned I walked out of the room and then this big guy walks out with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/my-first-interaction-with-gene-was-that-after-i-auditioned-i-walked/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [“If the case isn't plea bargained, dismissed or placed on the inactive docket for an indefinite period of time, if by some perverse twist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-the-case-isn-t-plea-bargained-dismissed-or-placed-on-the-inactive/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [BMX is kind of a big guy sport, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-robinson/bmx-is-kind-of-a-big-guy-sport-you-know/) [Donny Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-robinson/) > [The general public may not have an understanding about me and what I do, how I feel about my children, how I feel about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-browne/the-general-public-may-not-have-an-understanding-about-me-and-what-i/) [Travis Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-browne/) > [All I'm really doing is talking about going on diets and... just about being a big guy. Why should that be any different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/all-i-m-really-doing-is-talking-about-going-on-diets-and-just-about/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [Great passing and setting - I admire that more than the super big guys pounding the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/great-passing-and-setting-i-admire-that-more-than-the-super-big-guys/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [Based on paper, because of my size, a lot of promoters and hole-in-the-wall indies will book me against the local big guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cage/based-on-paper-because-of-my-size-a-lot-of-promoters-and-hole-in-the/) [Brian Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cage/) > [Teams desperately don't want me off the dribble in the lane. For me, if I can shoot well enough to have them close out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-nance-jr/teams-desperately-don-t-want-me-off-the-dribble-in-the-lane-for-me-if/) [Larry Nance, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-nance-jr/) > [It wouldn't be bad to have the Secret Service keeping an eye on my teenage daughter. I personally am not troubled by the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/it-wouldn-t-be-bad-to-have-the-secret-service-keeping-an-eye-on-my/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) [Browse all 284 Big guy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-guy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the Constitution says that the little guy should win, the little guy is going to win in court before me, ... 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