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…

Quote by Felix Frankfurter

Topics: Law And Lawyers Quotes, Life Quotes, Work Quotes

Anybody can decide a question if only a single principle is in controversy.

Anybody can decide a question if only a single principle is in controversy.

To some lawyers, all facts are created equal.

To some lawyers, all facts are created equal.

I came into the world a Jew, and although I did not live my life...

I came into the world a Jew, and although I did not live my life...

The history of liberty has largely been the history of the observance of procedural safeguards.

The history of liberty has largely been the history of the observance of procedural safeguards.

Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because...

Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because...

Decisions of this Court do not have intrinsic authority

Decisions of this Court do not have intrinsic authority

The mark of a truly civilized man is confidence in the strength and security derived...

The mark of a truly civilized man is confidence in the strength and security derived...

Answers are not obtained by putting the wrong question and thereby begging the real one.

Answers are not obtained by putting the wrong question and thereby begging the real one.

The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said...

The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said...

It is a wise man who said that there is no greater inequality than the...

It is a wise man who said that there is no greater inequality than the...

It is anomalous to hold that in order to convict a man the police cannot...

It is anomalous to hold that in order to convict a man the police cannot...

I don't like a man to be too efficient. He's likely to be not human...

I don't like a man to be too efficient. He's likely to be not human...

As a member of this court I am not justified in writing my private notions...

As a member of this court I am not justified in writing my private notions...

Fragile as reason is and limited as law is as the institutionalized medium of reason,...

Fragile as reason is and limited as law is as the institutionalized medium of reason,...

The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said...

The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said...

Old age and sickness bring out the essential characteristics of a man.

Old age and sickness bring out the essential characteristics of a man.

The history of liberty has largely been the history of the observance of procedural safeguards

The history of liberty has largely been the history of the observance of procedural safeguards

Freedom of the press is not an end in itself but a means to the...

Freedom of the press is not an end in itself but a means to the...

It simply is not true that war never settles anything.

It simply is not true that war never settles anything.

The real rulers in Washington are invisible, and exercise power from behind the scenes.

The real rulers in Washington are invisible, and exercise power from behind the scenes.