All our work, our whole life is a matter of semantics, because words are the tools with which we work, the material out of which laws are made, out of which the Constitution was written. Everything depends on our understanding of them. Felix Frankfurter More Quotes by Felix Frankfurter More Quotes From Felix Frankfurter If one man can be allowed to determine for himself what is law, every man can. That means first chaos, then tyranny. Legal process is an essential part of the democratic process. Felix Frankfurter law men mean Thirty resolute men in your House of Commons could save the world. Felix Frankfurter house men history Litigation is the pursuit of practical ends, not a game of chess. Felix Frankfurter ends games chess Liberty of thought soon shrivels without freedom of expression. Nor can truth be pursued in an atmosphere hostile to the endeavor or under dangers which are hazarded only by heroes. Felix Frankfurter truth expression hero Ambiguity lurks in generality, and may thus become an instrument of severity. Felix Frankfurter ambiguity instruments may Of compelling consideration is the fact that words acquire scope and function from the history of events which they summarize. Felix Frankfurter consideration events facts I came into the world a Jew, and although I did not live my life entirely as a Jew, I think it is fitting that I should leave as a Jew. I don't want to ... turn my back on a great and noble heritage. Felix Frankfurter heritage noble thinking No court can make time stand still. Felix Frankfurter making-time court stills One is entitled to say without qualification that the correlation between prior judicial experience and fitness for the Supreme Court is zero. Felix Frankfurter judicial court zero In law also the emphasis makes the song. Felix Frankfurter emphasis law song Ours is an accusatorial, and not an inquisitorial, system - a system in which the State must establish guilt by evidence independently and freely secured, and may not, by coercion, prove its charge against an accused out of his own mouth. Felix Frankfurter guilt coercion mouths There is no inevitability in history except as men make it. Felix Frankfurter inevitability men It is hostile to a democratic system to involve the judiciary in the politics of the people. Felix Frankfurter judiciary democratic people Certainly the affirmative pursuit of one's convictions about the ultimate mystery of the universe and man's relation to it is placed beyond the reach of law. Government may not interfere with organized or individual expressions of belief or disbelief. Propagation of belief - or even of disbelief - in the supernatural is protected, whether in church or chapel, mosque or synagogue, tabernacle or meeting-house. Felix Frankfurter expression law men It is important not to give the appearance of a predisposed mind. And it is more important not to let the mind become predisposed. Felix Frankfurter important mind giving Time and experience have forcefully taught that the power to inspect dwelling places, either as a matter of systematic area-by-area search or, as here, to treat a specific problem, is of indispensable importance in the maintenance of community health; a power that would be greatly hobbled by the blanket requirement of the safeguards necessary for a search of evidence of criminal acts. Felix Frankfurter dwelling-place criminals community Future lawyers should be more aware that law is not a system of abstract logic, but the web of arrangements, rooted in history but also in hopes, for promoting to a maximum the full use of a nation's resources and talents. Felix Frankfurter logic use law Government is itself an art, one of the subtlest of the arts. It is neither business, nor technology, nor applied science. It is the art of making men live together in peace and with reasonable happiness. Felix Frankfurter technology men art Gratitude is one of the least articulate of the emotions, especially when it is deep. I can express with very limited adequacy the passionate devotion to this land that possesses millions of our people, born, like myself, under other skies, for the privilege that that this county has bestowed in allowing them to partake of its fellowship. Felix Frankfurter gratitude land sky Anybody can decide a question if only a single principle is in controversy. Felix Frankfurter controversy principles ifs
