Constitution Quote by Thomas Jefferson
“The juries are our judges of all fact, and of law when they choose it.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Letter to James Madison, 1790
The juries decide factual truth and, when they select law, also interpret it.
In simple terms: Juries judge facts and sometimes law.
Key Takeaway
Respect juries’ role in truth‑seeking.
Themes
justice
democracy
law
citizen participation
judicial process
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
legal
political
When to use this quote
- court trials
- public inquiries
- policy debates
- media coverage
Key Concepts
Legal interpretation
civic duty
fact‑finding
Questions to Reflect On
- How does jury composition affect outcomes?
- Can juries reliably choose law?
A Different Perspective
Juries may lack expertise in complex legal theory.
![“[When asked: "If women voted, would they not have to sit on juries?":] Many women would be glad of a chance to sit on anything. There are women who stand up and wash six days in the week at 75 cents a day who would like to take a vacation and sit on a jury at $1.50.” quote by Anna Howard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cc9/anna-howard-shaw-22641_cents_when-asked-if-women-voted-would-they-not_1833648.jpg)
![“[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch of the same government.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/401/thomas-jefferson-43_branches_states-and-the-federal-government-are-co_2619.jpg)
![“Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00c/thomas-jefferson-43_change_single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-t_5515.jpg)
![“Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear their leading you out of [any difficult situation] in the easiest manner possible...” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ebe/thomas-jefferson-43_difficult_though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one_9828.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
