--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know how a judge can concentrate…" description: "\"I don't know how a judge can concentrate on being fair and impartial when he or she is faced with possible jail time for making a decision that others ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b10/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_constitution_i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate_2258450.png" --- # I don't know how a judge can concentrate on being fair and… ![“I don't know how a judge can concentrate on being fair and impartial when he or she is faced with possible jail time for making a decision that others deem incorrect.” quote by Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b10/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_constitution_i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate_2258450.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b10/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_constitution_i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate_2258450.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b10/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_constitution_i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate_2258450.png) > “I don't know how a judge can concentrate on being fair and impartial when he or she is faced with possible jail time for making a decision that others deem incorrect.” [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the tension between personal risk and judicial fairness **In simple terms:** Judges must stay fair despite personal consequences Key Takeaway Uphold impartiality under pressure Themes ethics justice judicial responsibility Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - Court deliberations - law school ethics discussions - public policy debates Key Concepts Moral courage decision making under threat Questions to Reflect On - Can judges truly separate personal risk from rulings? - How can systems protect judges from undue pressure? A Different Perspective Personal safety concerns can bias decisions ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Fair Impartial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair-impartial-1244300/) [Impartial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impartial/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [Jail time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail-time/) [Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judge/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Know Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-judge-545875/) [Making A Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-decision/) [Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/others/) [Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible/) [Possible Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-jail-5187803/) [She](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/she/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [North Carolina wants its judges to be fair and impartial, and partisan politics has no place on the judges' bench.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/north-carolina-wants-its-judges-to-be-fair-and-impartial-and-partisan/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [“I know that no one is my judge. I live according to my own conscience and value discernments which are governed by Holy Spirit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mishi-mccoy/i-know-that-no-one-is-my-judge-i-live-according-to-my-own-conscience/) [Mishi McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mishi-mccoy/) > [There are three distinct kind of judges upon all new authors or productions; the first are those who know no rules, but pronounce entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/there-are-three-distinct-kind-of-judges-upon-all-new-authors-or/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [How about you get to know me before you judge me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-about-you-get-to-know-me-before-you-judge-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is a great comfort to know that our judge will be none other than our savior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/it-is-a-great-comfort-to-know-that-our-judge-will-be-none-other-than/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The writer is more concerned to know than to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-writer-is-more-concerned-to-know-than-to-judge/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [You Don't Know Me But You Judge Me . You Seen Me Once But You Judge Me . Your Friends Talk About Me &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikea/you-don-t-know-me-but-you-judge-me-you-seen-me-once-but-you-judge-me/) [Ikea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikea/) > [Everyone has a secret that nobody knows about and the reason you don't tell, is because you know they will JUDGE!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzie-lynn/everyone-has-a-secret-that-nobody-knows-about-and-the-reason-you-don/) [Kenzie Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzie-lynn/) > [I don't know where, or by whom, Judge Wapner was raised, but my parents taught me, when you don't have something nice to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/i-don-t-know-where-or-by-whom-judge-wapner-was-raised-but-my-parents/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [I don't want to know what the law is, I want to know who the judge is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cohn/i-don-t-want-to-know-what-the-law-is-i-want-to-know-who-the-judge-is/) [Roy Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cohn/) > [It's always the people that know you the least, that judge you the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-always-the-people-that-know-you-the-least-that-judge-you-the-most/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know Judge Roy Moore to be not only be a man of character in spite of the tens of millions of dollars that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/i-know-judge-roy-moore-to-be-not-only-be-a-man-of-character-in-spite/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [Don't judge me like you know everything about me, judge yourself first before you judge somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-judge-me-like-you-know-everything-about-me-judge-yourself-first/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We neither know nor judge ourselves; others may judge, but cannot know us. God alone judges and knows us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/we-neither-know-nor-judge-ourselves-others-may-judge-but-cannot-know/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [“Once you have gotten to know someone, only then can you judge them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-van-waterschoot/once-you-have-gotten-to-know-someone-only-then-can-you-judge-them/) [Sarah van Waterschoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-van-waterschoot/) ## More by Sandra Day O'Connor > [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/when-i-went-to-law-school-which-after-all-was-back-in-the-dark-ages/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-think-i-learned-to-appreciate-and-treasure-each-day-because-you-don/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I loved my husband very much, and it was heartbreaking to have him develop Alzheimer's disease, and to stand by and watch him decline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-loved-my-husband-very-much-and-it-was-heartbreaking-to-have-him/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/my-concerns-through-the-years-increased-about-the-concerns-of-an/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The courts of this country should not be the places where resolution of disputes begins. They should be the places where the disputes end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-courts-of-this-country-should-not-be-the-places-where-resolution/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [Young women today often have very little appreciation for the real battles that took place to get women where they are today in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/young-women-today-often-have-very-little-appreciation-for-the-real/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [You have to answer the question, like it or not. And the questions deserve a valid legal response, even if the response isn't one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/you-have-to-answer-the-question-like-it-or-not-and-the-questions/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [A fundamental premise of American democratic theory is that government exists to serve the people. ... Public records are one portal through which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/a-fundamental-premise-of-american-democratic-theory-is-that/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [This chance will stand before you only once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/this-chance-will-stand-before-you-only-once/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I care very much about women and their progress. I didn't go march in the streets, but when I was in the Arizona Legislature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-care-very-much-about-women-and-their-progress-i-didn-t-go-march-in/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [There was no hostility at the court when I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/there-was-no-hostility-at-the-court-when-i-arrived/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [And I went off to Stanford, I was pretty young and pretty naive. And I had a professor I really loved, who was himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/and-i-went-off-to-stanford-i-was-pretty-young-and-pretty-naive-and-i/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The really expert riders of horses let the horse know immediately who is in control, but then they guide the horse with loose reins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-really-expert-riders-of-horses-let-the-horse-know-immediately-who/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [It is true that as you have children, there are a good many months when you don't want to be working full-time. I agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/it-is-true-that-as-you-have-children-there-are-a-good-many-months/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The abortion cases produced an enormous amount of mail to my chambers, vastly more than to the other chambers, I am sure. I sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-abortion-cases-produced-an-enormous-amount-of-mail-to-my-chambers/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) [Explore all 124 Sandra Day O'Connor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "I don't know how a judge can concentrate on being fair and impartial when he or she is faced with possible jail time for making a decision that others deem incorrect.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sandra Day O'Connor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate-on-being-fair-and-impartial/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Constitution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate-on-being-fair-and-impartial/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b10/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_constitution_i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate_2258450.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b10/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_constitution_i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate_2258450.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b10/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_constitution_i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate_2258450.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't know how a judge can concentrate on being fair and impartial when he or she is faced with possible…” — Sandra Day O'Connor", "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": "Sandra Day O'Connor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't know how a judge...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate-on-being-fair-and-impartial/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-don-t-know-how-a-judge-can-concentrate-on-being-fair-and-impartial/#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 } } ] } ```