That the king can do no wrong is a necessary and fundamental principle of the English constitution.
William BlackstoneRead
It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer.
Interpretation
What this quote means
It's preferable for guilty individuals to go free than for an innocent person to be wrongfully punished.
This quote emphasizes the importance of justice and the moral principle that it is more acceptable for a guilty person to evade punishment than to harm an innocent individual. It highlights a fundamental tenet of legal systems: the protection of the innocent should be prioritized over the conviction of the guilty, as the latter can lead to irreversible harm and injustice.
Themes
JusticeInnocenceGuiltLawPrinciple
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a courtroom setting to illustrate the importance of protecting the innocent.
More from William Blackstone
All quotes βThe public good is in nothing more essentially interested, than in the protection of every individual's private rights.
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There is nothing which so generally strikes the imagination and engages the affections of mankind, as the right of property.
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Law is the embodiment of the moral sentiment of the people.
William BlackstoneRead
No enactment of man can be considered law unless it conforms to the law of God
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Herein indeed consists the excellence of the English government, that all parts of it form a mutual check upon each other.
William BlackstoneRead
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