The man of character, sensitive to the meaning of what he is doing, will know how to discover the ethical paths in the maze of possible behavior.
The success of any legal system is measured by its fidelity to the universal ideal of justice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A legal system is deemed successful when it adheres to the principles of justice universally recognized.
Earl Warren emphasizes that the true measure of a legal system's effectiveness lies in its commitment to justice. A successful legal framework must align with the universal ideals of fairness and justice, ensuring that all individuals are treated justly and equitably under the law. This quote critiques systems that fail to uphold these standards and highlights the importance of a justice-oriented approach in legal practices.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech advocating for legal reform, one might say, 'The success of any legal system is measured by its fidelity to the universal ideal of justice.'
More from Earl Warren
All quotes βRacial discrimination in public education is unconstitutional.....All provisions of federal, state or local law requiring or permitting such discrimination must yield to this principle.
In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education.
Don't complain about growing old β many, many people do not have that privilege.
In civilized life, law floats in a sea of ethics.
Today, as always, the people, no less than the courts, must remain vigilant to preserve the principals of our Bill of Rights, lest in our desire to be secure we lose our ability to be free.
Similar quotes
People who are well represented at trial do not get the death penalty.
We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.
Our criminal-justice system has for decades been infected with a mindset that views black boys and men in particular as a problem to be dealt with, managed, and controlled.
People are tried and convicted in the newspapers and on television before they ever see a courtroom.
If I were attorney general in Kansas in 1953, I would not have defended a Kansas statute that put in place separate-but-equal facilities.
Most states in the union where the death penalty is theoretically on the books don't have executions.