--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Court has a special responsibility to…" description: "\"“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic val..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa2/stephen-breyer-20571_confidence_the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-t_9300.jpg" --- # The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the… ![“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from one generation to the next, must play the major role in maintaining public confidence in the Court's decisions, the Court too must help…” quote by Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa2/stephen-breyer-20571_confidence_the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-t_9300.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa2/stephen-breyer-20571_confidence_the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-t_9300.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa2/stephen-breyer-20571_confidence_the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-t_9300.jpg) > ““The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from one generation to the next, must play the major role in maintaining public confidence in the Court's decisions, the Court too must help maintain public acceptance of its own legitimacy. It can do this best by helping ensure that the Constitution remains "workable" in a broad sense of the term. Specifically, it can and should interpret the Constitution in a way that works for the people of today.”” [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Court must interpret the Constitution so it remains practical and relevant, using education to sustain public trust and legitimacy. **In simple terms:** Court must keep Constitution practical today. Key Takeaway Interpretation should serve present society. Themes judicial responsibility civic education constitutional relevance public legitimacy legal interpretation Mood thoughtful optimistic serious Type policy statement judicial philosophy When to use this quote - court rulings - law school curricula - civic education programs - public policy debates Key Concepts judicial role civic transmission public confidence constitutional adaptability Practical Applications - judicial training - civic education initiatives Questions to Reflect On - How can courts balance tradition with modern needs? - What role should education play in legal legitimacy? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) ## Related quotes > [Ferguson and St. Louis County are not the first places that we have become engaged to ensure fair and equitable policing, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/ferguson-and-st-louis-county-are-not-the-first-places-that-we-have/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I cannot interpret the constitution. Only the constitutional courts can interpret the constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kabila/i-cannot-interpret-the-constitution-only-the-constitutional-courts/) [Joseph Kabila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kabila/) > [My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of laws and not of men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/my-fellow-americans-our-long-national-nightmare-is-over-our/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [“If there was anything approaching a common denominator, providing the American public with a foundation of shared civic values, it was those three newscasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/if-there-was-anything-approaching-a-common-denominator-providing-the/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [It seems to me that we're in danger of losing sight of certain basic civic values in society by allowing the growth of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-seems-to-me-that-we-re-in-danger-of-losing-sight-of-certain-basic/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Proper education is the key for us to posses strong civic values, refined knowledge, and career readiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saaif-alam/proper-education-is-the-key-for-us-to-posses-strong-civic-values/) [Saaif Alam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saaif-alam/) > [Living political constitutions must be Darwinian in structure and in practice. Society is a living organism and must obey the laws of life, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/living-political-constitutions-must-be-darwinian-in-structure-and-in/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [I think that one reasons I like Brett Kavanaugh is he was clearly one that was gonna interpret the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-braun/i-think-that-one-reasons-i-like-brett-kavanaugh-is-he-was-clearly-one/) [Mike Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-braun/) > [The states have authority to interpret the Constitution, enforce it, and protect the people from violations of it by the federal government In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-states-have-authority-to-interpret-the-constitution-enforce-it/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [A judge must interpret statutes as written. And a judge must interpret the Constitution as written, informed by history and tradition and precedent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-kavanaugh/a-judge-must-interpret-statutes-as-written-and-a-judge-must-interpret/) [Brett Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-kavanaugh/) > [It is every Americans' right and obligation to read and interpret the Constitution for himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-every-americans-right-and-obligation-to-read-and-interpret-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Our Constitution works; our great republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here, the people rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/our-constitution-works-our-great-republic-is-a-government-of-laws-and/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. Our constitution works.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/my-fellow-americans-our-long-national-nightmare-is-over-our-2/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) > [Our long national nightmare is over. Our Constitution works; our great Republic is agovernment of laws and not of men. Here the people rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-long-national-nightmare-is-over-our-constitution-works-our-great/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our constitution works. Our great republic is a government of laws, not of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford-2/our-constitution-works-our-great-republic-is-a-government-of-laws-not/) Gerald R Ford ## More by Stephen Breyer > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/well-just-that-there-would-be-somebody-in-the-office-and-the-voters/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [I think whether you are a judge on my court or whether you are a judge on a court of appeals or any court,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-think-whether-you-are-a-judge-on-my-court-or-whether-you-are-a/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We are selected, but I grew up in California and in San Francisco and there was a system of electing judges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/we-are-selected-but-i-grew-up-in-california-and-in-san-francisco-and/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Judges are appointed often through the political process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/judges-are-appointed-often-through-the-political-process/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [There are loads of countries that have nice written constitutions like ours. But there aren't loads of countries where they're followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/there-are-loads-of-countries-that-have-nice-written-constitutions/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [At least there's a political input, but when you put on the robe, at that point the politics is over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/at-least-there-s-a-political-input-but-when-you-put-on-the-robe-at/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [It's important to every American that the law protect his or her basic liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/it-s-important-to-every-american-that-the-law-protect-his-or-her/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [It doesn't help to fight crime to put people in prison who are innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/it-doesn-t-help-to-fight-crime-to-put-people-in-prison-who-are/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [But once the person is selected, at that point that person is independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/but-once-the-person-is-selected-at-that-point-that-person-is/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [To threaten the institution is to threaten fair administration of justice and protection of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/to-threaten-the-institution-is-to-threaten-fair-administration-of/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Every citizen has to figure out what kind of government he or she wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/every-citizen-has-to-figure-out-what-kind-of-government-he-or-she/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Independence doesn't mean you decide the way you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/independence-doesn-t-mean-you-decide-the-way-you-want/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Active liberty is particularly at risk when law restricts speech directly related to the shaping of public opinion, for example, speech that takes place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/active-liberty-is-particularly-at-risk-when-law-restricts-speech/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Ultimately, the question of campaign contributions will be decided by the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/ultimately-the-question-of-campaign-contributions-will-be-decided-by/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) [Explore all 30 Stephen Breyer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from one generation to the next, must play the major role in maintaining public confidence in the Court's decisions, the Court too must help maintain public acceptance of its own legitimacy. It can do this best by helping ensure that the Constitution remains \"workable\" in a broad sense of the term. 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