Character Quote by Robert Bork
“In a constitutional democracy the moral content of law must be given by the morality of the framer or legislator, never by the morality of the judge.”
About This Quote
Source Legal Treatise: The Rise of the American Constitution, 1978
Law should reflect the moral judgments of its creators, not judges, preserving democratic legitimacy.
In simple terms: Legislators, not judges, set law’s moral basis.
Respect legislative intent in lawmaking.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- legislative drafting
- judicial review
- civic education
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Should judges ever override immoral laws?
- How to balance democratic will and moral rights?
Judges may need to correct legislative flaws.