--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never mistake law for justice. Justice is…" description: "\"Never mistake law for justice. Justice is an ideal, and law is a tool.\" — L.E. Modesitt Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/l-e-modesitt-jr-12954_justice_never-mistake-law-for-justice-justice-is_2445830.png" --- # Never mistake law for justice. Justice is an ideal, and… ![“Never mistake law for justice. Justice is an ideal, and law is a tool.” quote by L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/l-e-modesitt-jr-12954_justice_never-mistake-law-for-justice-justice-is_2445830.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/l-e-modesitt-jr-12954_justice_never-mistake-law-for-justice-justice-is_2445830.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/l-e-modesitt-jr-12954_justice_never-mistake-law-for-justice-justice-is_2445830.png) > “Never mistake law for justice. Justice is an ideal, and law is a tool.” [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Law is a tool; justice is an ideal. **In simple terms:** Law serves, justice inspires. Key Takeaway Seek justice beyond legal limits. Themes justice law ethics idealism Mood critical analytical Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - courtroom - policy making - civil rights activism - community dispute resolution Key Concepts moral philosophy social contract Questions to Reflect On - When does law conflict with justice? - How can you pursue justice within constraints? A Different Perspective Legal systems may fail to achieve true justice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideal Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideal-law-526931/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice Ideal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-ideal-526930/) [Justice Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-justice/) [Law Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-tool-526932/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [Who thinks the law has anything to do with justice? It's what we have because we can't have justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcilvanney/who-thinks-the-law-has-anything-to-do-with-justice-it-s-what-we-have/) [William McIlvanney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcilvanney/) > [The reason I give money to politicians within the limitations of the law is to allow them to put their message across to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-saban/the-reason-i-give-money-to-politicians-within-the-limitations-of-the/) [Haim Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-saban/) > [“there is very little connection between law and justice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-masters/there-is-very-little-connection-between-law-and-justice/) [Alexander Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-masters/) > [For man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all; since armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/for-man-when-perfected-is-the-best-of-animals-but-when-separated-from/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/man-when-perfected-is-the-best-of-animals-but-when-separated-from-law/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Whereas the handling of the case against President Nixon clearly strengthened the nation's respect for law, justice and truth, the Clinton impeachment may unfortunately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/whereas-the-handling-of-the-case-against-president-nixon-clearly/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [Law is justice. And it is under the law of justice - under the reign of right; under the influence of liberty, safety, stability,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/law-is-justice-and-it-is-under-the-law-of-justice-under-the-reign-of/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“I’ve come to recognize that questions of law and justice are at the same time questions of power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/i-ve-come-to-recognize-that-questions-of-law-and-justice-are-at-the/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law & justice he is the worst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/at-his-best-man-is-the-noblest-of-all-animals-separated-from-law/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The choice between law and justice is an easy one for courageous minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/the-choice-between-law-and-justice-is-an-easy-one-for-courageous-minds/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Law is justice. In this proposition a simple and enduring government can be conceived. And I defy anyone to say how even the thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/law-is-justice-in-this-proposition-a-simple-and-enduring-government/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Law and justice are not always the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/law-and-justice-are-not-always-the-same/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Frequently you have a clash between the more sterile letter of the law and the justice that underlies it, and I think one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-h-greene/frequently-you-have-a-clash-between-the-more-sterile-letter-of-the/) [Harold H. Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-h-greene/) > [My friend said to me, 'You don't look good,' - because all the time I have to think about law and justice and courts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bikram-choudhury/my-friend-said-to-me-you-don-t-look-good-because-all-the-time-i-have/) [Bikram Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bikram-choudhury/) > [Law and justice are from time to time inevitably in conflict ... . The jury ... adjusts the general rule of law to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-wigmore/law-and-justice-are-from-time-to-time-inevitably-in-conflict-the-jury/) [John Henry Wigmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-wigmore/) ## More by L.E. Modesitt Jr > [Love of another is merely empty flattery and self-deception for one who cannot accept himself without pretense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/love-of-another-is-merely-empty-flattery-and-self-deception-for-one/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“Don’t ever settle for just survival, son. Survival isn’t life…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/don-t-ever-settle-for-just-survival-son-survival-isn-t-life/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [Without power, knowledge is useless. without knowledge, faith is tyranny. Without understanding, humanity is blind, and without all four, it is doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/without-power-knowledge-is-useless-without-knowledge-faith-is-tyranny/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“love no one until you can love yourself, for love of another is merely empty flattery and self-deception for one who cannot accept himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/love-no-one-until-you-can-love-yourself-for-love-of-another-is-merely/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“It’s often hard to consider the future when you are struggling with the present,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/it-s-often-hard-to-consider-the-future-when-you-are-struggling-with/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“technology enabled mercy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/technology-enabled-mercy/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“Too often, no matter what simpering savants say, there is no real choice. Not if life is to have meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/too-often-no-matter-what-simpering-savants-say-there-is-no-real/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“Up early. Must be important.” Her smile was nice, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/up-early-must-be-important-her-smile-was-nice-too/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“some people learned only from what they experienced personally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/some-people-learned-only-from-what-they-experienced-personally/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [Hatred is a form of faith, distilled by passion to remove all rationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/hatred-is-a-form-of-faith-distilled-by-passion-to-remove-all/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“one of the ways to be successful in war is to make your enemies make all the gallant but useless sacrifices…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/one-of-the-ways-to-be-successful-in-war-is-to-make-your-enemies-make/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“...there being a god, that god must be worshiped. Worship means raising the god above the individual, and liturgies often make the point that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/there-being-a-god-that-god-must-be-worshiped-worship-means-raising/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“Was there really something to the obsolete idea of a national character? Some countries just changed tyrants, without changing anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/was-there-really-something-to-the-obsolete-idea-of-a-national/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“power corrupts, even when you try not to be corrupted?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/power-corrupts-even-when-you-try-not-to-be-corrupted/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“We all feel better when we can defend ourselves. When we can tell ourselves and everyone else that we did what was necessary and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/we-all-feel-better-when-we-can-defend-ourselves-when-we-can-tell/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) [Explore all 51 L.E. Modesitt Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) ## More Justice quotes > [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/) [Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [“Why do so many people do nothing? I think it’s because most of us look at the evils and injustice around us, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/why-do-so-many-people-do-nothing-i-think-it-s-because-most-of-us-look/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [Civilized nations are ones that simply can't endure wrongs or injustice except at home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-anderson/civilized-nations-are-ones-that-simply-can-t-endure-wrongs-or/) [Joseph Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-anderson/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) [Donald P. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [We need to incorporate that age-old concept of redemption into the work that we do in the criminal justice system in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-need-to-incorporate-that-age-old-concept-of-redemption-into-the/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [There is no freedom without justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/there-is-no-freedom-without-justice/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [“The absence of judgment becomes a catalyst and an enabler for greater injustice. Contrary to popular thought, judgment is a GOOD thing when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-chace-gordon/the-absence-of-judgment-becomes-a-catalyst-and-an-enabler-for-greater/) [J. Chace Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-chace-gordon/) > [The function of the law is not to provide justice or to preserve freedom. The function of the law is to keep those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-spence/the-function-of-the-law-is-not-to-provide-justice-or-to-preserve/) [Gerry Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-spence/) [Browse all 13,527 Justice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never mistake law for justice. Justice is an ideal, and law is a tool.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "L.E. 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