---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Justice Scalia and I served together on…"
description: "\"Justice Scalia and I served together on the D.C. Circuit. So his votes are not surprising to me. What I like about him is that he's very funny and very..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/ruth-bader-ginsburg-1906_funny_justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on_1463416.jpg"
---

#  Justice Scalia and I served together on the D.C. Circuit…

![“Justice Scalia and I served together on the D.C. Circuit. So his votes are not surprising to me. What I like about him is that he's very funny and very smart.” quote by Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/ruth-bader-ginsburg-1906_funny_justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on_1463416.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/ruth-bader-ginsburg-1906_funny_justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on_1463416.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/ruth-bader-ginsburg-1906_funny_justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on_1463416.jpg)

> “Justice Scalia and I served together on the D.C. Circuit. So his votes are not surprising to me. What I like about him is that he's very funny and very smart.”

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker admires a colleague’s humor and intellect, noting that his judicial decisions align with expectations based on his character.

**In simple terms:** Colleague’s humor and intelligence explain his predictable votes.

Key Takeaway

Judge based on character and track record.

Themes

judiciary humor intellect collegiality

Mood

respectful analytical

Type

observational commentary

When to use this quote

- court deliberations
- judicial appointments
- public commentary

Key Concepts

legal reasoning personal traits

Questions to Reflect On

- How do personal traits influence judicial decisions?
- Can humor affect legal reasoning?

A Different Perspective

Predictable voting may overlook nuanced legal shifts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-scalia/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/)

## Related quotes

> [There are just a host of problems born by the electronic age. Things we couldn't even conceive of. I was amused by the analogy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/there-are-just-a-host-of-problems-born-by-the-electronic-age-things/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [In 2015, an opera opened about me and Justice Antonin Scalia. It's called 'Scalia/Ginsburg.' The composer, Derrick Wang, has degrees in music from Harvard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/in-2015-an-opera-opened-about-me-and-justice-antonin-scalia-it-s/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [You're funny, and you're smart, and you may show up late, but you always show up eventually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-re-funny-and-you-re-smart-and-you-may-show-up-late-but-you-always/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [I've always maintained that people that are funny and smart can do anything in film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-baena/i-ve-always-maintained-that-people-that-are-funny-and-smart-can-do/)

[Jeff Baena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-baena/)

> [I think David Letterman is a genius. Night after night he is funny and smart. He seems to really enjoy his jokes. They seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-affleck/i-think-david-letterman-is-a-genius-night-after-night-he-is-funny-and/)

[Casey Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-affleck/)

> [“You're funny, which you can't be if you're not smart. Dad says it's harder to make someone laugh than it is to make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-crowley/you-re-funny-which-you-can-t-be-if-you-re-not-smart-dad-says-it-s/)

[Cath Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-crowley/)

> [“But why me ? Because, idiot, you... are funny and smart and you have a giant heart that you can't even pretend to hide.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-keil/but-why-me-because-idiot-you-are-funny-and-smart-and-you-have-a-giant/)

[Melissa Keil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-keil/)

> [As a woman, I know you're young but you gotta hear it now,the most valuable part about you is your brain. Get an education,don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/as-a-woman-i-know-you-re-young-but-you-gotta-hear-it-now-the-most/)

[Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/)

> [People who are funny and smart and return phone calls get much better press than people who are just funny and smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-simons/people-who-are-funny-and-smart-and-return-phone-calls-get-much-better/)

Howard Simons

> [I think justice Scalia is really the gold standard of what a justice should be. Somebody, regardless of how he feels on an issue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-think-justice-scalia-is-really-the-gold-standard-of-what-a-justice/)

[Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/)

> [Justice Scalia is predictable. He can be counted on to come down with a conservative opinion, and generally, to bring Justice Clarence Thomas with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lee-bailey/justice-scalia-is-predictable-he-can-be-counted-on-to-come-down-with/)

[F. Lee Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lee-bailey/)

> [ He \[Louis Brandeis\] would have not had any patience with that great debate which you're right to kind of signal between Justice Scalia and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-rosen/he-louis-brandeis-would-have-not-had-any-patience-with-that-great/)

[Jeffrey Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-rosen/)

> [Justice Scalia was a person who effectively bludgeoned the life out of the living Constitution, the Constitution that gave us desegregation, that gave us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/justice-scalia-was-a-person-who-effectively-bludgeoned-the-life-out/)

[Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/)

> [None of us were prepared to hear what Justice Scalia said, because in essence what he was saying is let's go back to pre-Board…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/none-of-us-were-prepared-to-hear-what-justice-scalia-said-because-in/)

[Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/)

> [Justice Scalia was usually particularly challenging to me at oral argument, but I so respected his intellect and commitment to the pursuit of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-katyal/justice-scalia-was-usually-particularly-challenging-to-me-at-oral/)

[Neal Katyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-katyal/)

## More by Ruth Bader Ginsburg

> [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [Work hard on each opinion, but once the case is decided, don't look back; go on to the next case and give it your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/work-hard-on-each-opinion-but-once-the-case-is-decided-don-t-look/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [Racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact. To the contrary, Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/racial-discrimination-in-elections-in-texas-is-no-mere-historical/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [The Democrats do fine in presidential elections; their problem is they can't get out the vote in the midterm elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/the-democrats-do-fine-in-presidential-elections-their-problem-is-they/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [In sum, the Court's conclusion that a constitutionally adequate recount is impractical is a prophecy the Court's own judgment will not allow to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/in-sum-the-court-s-conclusion-that-a-constitutionally-adequate/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [I think our system is being polluted by money,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/i-think-our-system-is-being-polluted-by-money/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [We will never see a day when women of means are not able to get a safe abortion in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/we-will-never-see-a-day-when-women-of-means-are-not-able-to-get-a/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [The entering class I joined in 1956 included just nine women, up from five in the then second-year class, and only one African American.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/the-entering-class-i-joined-in-1956-included-just-nine-women-up-from/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [If you ask judges, do you always agree on everything? Of course not, we divide just as you do. Why aren't you transparent about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-you-ask-judges-do-you-always-agree-on-everything-of-course-not-we/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [One thing that concerns me is that today's young women don't seem to care that we have a fundamental instrument of government that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/one-thing-that-concerns-me-is-that-today-s-young-women-don-t-seem-to/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [It's a facet of the gay rights movement that people don't think about enough. Why suddenly marriage equality? Because it wasn't until 1981 that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/it-s-a-facet-of-the-gay-rights-movement-that-people-don-t-think-about/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [If you have a caring life partner, you help the other person when that person needs it. I had a life partner who thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-you-have-a-caring-life-partner-you-help-the-other-person-when-that/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [There are some singers that know exactly when to go, and others hang on much too long and that is the same, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/there-are-some-singers-that-know-exactly-when-to-go-and-others-hang/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [I would not like to be the only woman on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/i-would-not-like-to-be-the-only-woman-on-the-court/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/my-mother-told-me-to-be-a-lady-and-for-her-that-meant-be-your-own/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

[Explore all 200 Ruth Bader Ginsburg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

## More Constitution quotes

> [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

> [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/)

[Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/)

[Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/)

> [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/)

[John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/)

> [The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-bird/the-judiciary-must-not-take-on-the-coloration-of-whatever-may-be/)

[Rose Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-bird/)

> [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/)

[Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/)

> [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-to-ensure-that-the/)

[Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/)

> [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/)

Joe Pitts

> [Nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. Truth alone is final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sumner/nothing-from-man-s-hands-nor-law-nor-constitution-can-be-final-truth/)

[Charles Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sumner/)

> [“I am apprehensive, Sir, that in the warmth of my feelings, I may have uttered expressions, which were too vehement. If such has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-am-apprehensive-sir-that-in-the-warmth-of-my-feelings-i-may-have/)

[Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/)

> [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

[Browse all 4,507 Constitution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Justice Scalia and I served together on the D.C. Circuit. So his votes are not surprising to me. What I like about him is that he's very funny and very smart.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ruth Bader Ginsburg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on-the-d-c-circuit-so-his-votes/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Constitution"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on-the-d-c-circuit-so-his-votes/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/ruth-bader-ginsburg-1906_funny_justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on_1463416.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/ruth-bader-ginsburg-1906_funny_justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on_1463416.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/ruth-bader-ginsburg-1906_funny_justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on_1463416.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Justice Scalia and I served together on the D.C. Circuit. So his votes are not surprising to me. What I like…” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ruth Bader Ginsburg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Justice Scalia and I served together...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on-the-d-c-circuit-so-his-votes/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/justice-scalia-and-i-served-together-on-the-d-c-circuit-so-his-votes/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
