Harry S. Truman Quotes

I don't think that a Justice should have uppermost in her mind, 'A Democratic president appointed me, so I must leave to be sure that another Democratic president can appoint my successor.'

We often imagine that the court serves as a sort of neutral umpire controlling the warring political branches. But this is mostly myth. The justices of the Supreme Court are themselves actors in the struggle for power, and when they intervene, they think carefully about how their decisions will affect the court's own legitimacy and authority.

At least there's a political input, but when you put on the robe, at that point the politics is over.

There are a lot of wonderful people in America who shouldn't be on the Supreme Court - and a lot who should be on the court who aren't such wonderful people.

Judges must be free from political intervention or intimidation.

All judges have cases that touch our passions deeply, but we all struggle constantly with remaining impartial.

…if I should once permit such political considerations to interfere with the administration of justice in this office, where could I stop? If I should once begin to allow my official conduct to be swayed by considerations such as those, I feel it would end by eventually leading me wholly astray.

[Discussing the confirmation process:] A judge sworn to decide impartially can offer no forecasts, no hints, for that would show not only disregard for the specifics of the particular case, it would display disdain for the entire judicial process.

I was driven years ago to the conclusion that political considerations had not hurt the character of appointments here [the supreme court].

Our judges are as honest as other men and not more so. They have, with others, the same passions for party, for power, and the privilege of their corps.

Republicans say to Democrats, “Your judges are political activists.” The Democrats respond to the Republicans, “Your judges are political activists.” So the public thinks that all judges are political activists and just politicians in robes. This is very worrying.

The judge may not … express his … personal beliefs ... as to what is right or just

Judges are terrible politicians.

Members of the Supreme Court have lifetime tenures because they're not supposed to do politics.

We need a Supreme Court justice who will restore fairness, balance, and independence to the highest level of the judiciary. Based on his record, I do not believe Gorsuch would be that kind of justice.

Conservatives complain that the Supreme Court is too liberal. Liberals complain that it's too conservative. Both charges are inaccurate: in reality the Court is a careful political actor that arguably represents the center of gravity of American politics better than most politicians do.

To go against a torrent of public passion is not easy even for independent judges.

If a judge does his job right, you [the observer] will never know how he personally feels about the policies he may have to rule on.

The [Supreme] Court's authority—possessed neither of the purse nor the sword—ultimately rests on sustained public confidence in its moral sanction. Such feeling must be nourished by the Court's complete detachment, in fact and appearance, from political entanglements and by abstention from injecting itself into the clash of political forces and political settlements.

No nation can answer for perfect exactitude of proceedings in all their inferior courts. It suffices to provide a supreme judicature where all error and partiality will be ultimately corrected

The greatest virtue in a prince is to know his friends.

Of all officers of government, those in whose appointment any participation of popular suffrage is the most objectionable are judicial officers.

Judges shall judge justly, according to the written law and not according to their own judgment.

It’s good to have a good friend in power.

If it can be thought that a Supreme Court Justice can be bought so cheap then the nation is really in trouble.