We dedicated ourselves to a powerful idea - organic law rather than naked power. There seems to be universal acceptance of that idea in the nation.
Potter StewartRead
Swift justice demands more than just swiftness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True justice requires not only speed but also fairness and thoroughness.
This quote emphasizes that while it is important for justice to be delivered swiftly, it is equally crucial that the process is just and fair. Rushing to a conclusion without careful consideration of the facts can lead to unjust outcomes, highlighting the need for a balance between timeliness and thoroughness in the pursuit of justice.
Themes
JusticeFairnessSwiftnessBalanceLaw
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the legal system during a debate.
More from Potter Stewart
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A person's mere propinquity to others independently suspected of criminal activity does not give rise to probable cause to search that person.
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It must always be remembered that what the Constitution forbids is not all searches and seizures, but unreasonable searches and seizures.
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The 4th Amendment and the personal rights it secures have a long history. At the very core stands the right of a man to retreat into his own home and there be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion.
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For the Fourth Amendment protects people, not places. What a person knowingly exposes to the public, even in his own home or office, is not a subject of Fourth Amendment protection. But what he seeks to preserve as private, even in an area accessible to the public, may be constitutionally protected.
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