Judges Quotes, Quotations, and Sayings

25 Judges Quotes
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“Judges ought to be more learned than witty, more reverend than plausible, and more advised than confident. Above all things, integrity is their portion and proper virtue.”
Francis Bacon Quotes
Source: Essays--Of Judicature
“The cold neutrality of an impartial judge.”
Edmund Burke Quotes
Source: Preface to Brissot's Address (vol. V, p. 67)
“It is the function of a judge not to make but to declare the law, according to the golden mete-wand of the law and not by the crooked cord of discretion.”
Edmund Burke Quotes
Source: Preface to Brissot's Address (vol. V, p. 67)
“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.”
Edmund Burke Quotes
Source: Preface to Brissot's Address (vol. V, p. 67)
“A justice with grave justices shall sit; He praise their wisdom, they admire his wit.”
John Gay Quotes
Source: The Birth of the Squire (l. 77)
“Art thou a magistrate? then be severe: If studious, copy fair what time hath blurr'd, Redeem truth from his jaws: if a soldier, Chase brave employments with a naked sword Throughout the world. Fool not, for all may have If they dare try, a glorious life, or grave.”
George Herbert Quotes
Source: The Church Porch (st. 15)
“A corrupt judge does not carefully search for the truth. [Lat., Male verum examinat omnis Corruptus judex.]”
Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) Quotes
Source: Satires (II, 2, 8)
“So wise, so grave, of so perplex'd a tongue, And loud withal, that would not wag, not scarce Lie still without a fee.”
Ben Jonson Quotes
Source: Volpone (act I, sc. 1)
“A judge's duty is to grant justice, but his practice is to delay it: even those judges who know their duty adhere to the general practice. [Fr., Le devoir des juges est de rendre justice, leur metier est de la differer; quelques uns savent leur devoir, et font leur metier.]”
Jean de la Bruyere Quotes
Source: Les Caracteres
“Half as sober as a judge.”
Charles Lamb (used pseudonym Elia) Quotes
Source: Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Maxon
“I'm not final because I'm right, I'm right because I'm final.”
Charles Lamb (used pseudonym Elia) Quotes
Source: Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Maxon
“There should be many judges, for few will always do the will of few. [It., Bisogna che i giudici siano assai, perche pochi sempre fanno a modo de' pochi.]”
Niccolo Machiavelli (Macchiavelli) Quotes
Source: Dei Discorsi (I, 7)
“The acme of judicial distinction means the ability to look a lawyer straight in the eyes for two hours and not to hear a damned word he says.”
Niccolo Machiavelli (Macchiavelli) Quotes
Source: Dei Discorsi (I, 7)
“My suit has nothing to do with the assault, or battery, or poisoning, but is about three goats, which, I complain, have been stolen by my neighbor. This the judge desires to have proved to him; but you, with swelling words and extravagant gestures, dilate on the Battle of Cannae, the Mithridatic war, and the perjuries of the insensate Carthaginians, the Syllae, the Marii, and the Mucii. It is time, Postumus, to say something about my three goats.”
Marcus Valerius Martial Quotes
Source: Epigrams (bk. VI, ep. 19)
“I pleaded your cause, Sextus, having agreed to do so for two thousand sesterces. How is it that you have sent me only a thousand? "You said nothing," you tell me; "and this cause was lost through you." You ought to give me so much the more, Sextus, as I had to blush for you.”
Marcus Valerius Martial Quotes
Source: Epigrams (bk. VIII, ep. 18)
“The judge's duty is to inquire about the time, as well as the facts. [Lat., Judicis officium est ut res ita tempora rerum Quaerere.]”
Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) Quotes
Source: Tristium (I, 1, 37)
“The hungry judges soon the sentence sign, And wretches hang that jurymen may dine.”
Alexander Pope Quotes
Source: Rape of the Lock (canto III, l. 21)
“Since twelve honest men have decided the cause, And were judges of fact, tho' not judges of laws.”
William Pulteney Quotes
Source: The Honest Jury, in the "Craftsman", vol. 5, 337, refers to Sir Philip Yorke's prosecution of "Craft
“If you judge, investigate; if you reign, command. [Lat., Si judicas, cognosce; si regnas, jube.]”
Seneca (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) Quotes
Source: Medea (CXCIV)
“Therefore I say again I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul Refuse you for my judge, whom yet once more I hold my most malicious for and think not At all a friend to truth.”
William Shakespeare Quotes
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Katherine at II, iv)
“Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge That no king can corrupt.”
William Shakespeare Quotes
Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Katherine at III, i)
“O, let her brother live: Thieves for the robbery have authority When judges steal themselves.”
William Shakespeare Quotes
Source: Measure for Measure (Angelo at II, ii)
“He who the sword of heaven will bear Should be as holy as severe; Pattern in himself to know, Grace to stand, and virtue go; More nor less to others paying Than by self-offenses weighing. Shame to him whose cruel striking Kills for faults of his own liking.”
William Shakespeare Quotes
Source: Measure for Measure (Vincentio, the Duke at III, ii)
“To offend and judge are distinct offices, And of opposed natures.”
William Shakespeare Quotes
Source: The Merchant of Venice (Portia at II, ix)
“It doth appear you are a worthy judge; You know the law, your exposition Hath been most sound.”
William Shakespeare Quotes
Source: The Merchant of Venice (Shylock at IV, i)