Quotessence
Home / Authors / Alan Dershowitz
Alan Dershowitz

Alan Dershowitz Quotes

Lawyer

Filter quotes by topic

AllIfsLawJusticeStatesThinkingIsraelPeopleGovernmentImportantWorldSpeechUnitedFirstsFreedom Of SpeechKnowsLawyerShouldUnited StatesWellsBelieve

Famous Alan Dershowitz Quotes

“If we move away from the American tradition of lawyers defending those with whom they vehemently disagree -- as we temporarily did during the McCarthy period -- we weaken our commitment to the rule of law... So beware of an approach which limits advocacy to that which is approved by the standards of political correctness.”

IfsMovingLawPoliticalPoliticsJusticeResponsibilityPeriodsLimitsApproachStandardsRespectConscienceCommitmentTraditionLawyerToleranceHypocrisyDisagreeRule Of LawPolitical CorrectnessApprovedCorrectnessAdvocacyAmerican Tradition
Book:Letters to a Young Lawer (Easyread Large Edition)
Create image

“In representing criminal defendants - especially guilty ones - it is often necessary to take the offensive against the government: to put the government on trial for its misconduct. In law, as in sports, the best defense is often a good offense. The courtroom oath - to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth - is applicable only to witnesses... because the American justice system is built on a foundation of not telling the whole entire truth.”

WholeGovernmentLawSportsJusticeTruth IsBuiltFoundationDefenseCriminalsTrialsGuiltyWitnessTelling The TruthOffensiveOffenseOathIn-lawsRepresentingJustice SystemCourtroomWhole TruthNothing But The TruthMisconductAmerican Justice
Author:Alan Dershowitz
Create image

“I have made a career out of arguing that we shouldn't be criminalizing political differences. I've made a career out of arguing that the grand jury is an abusive institution. I have made a career out of arguing that we shouldn't stretch and expand the criminal law. I'm not going to change it because you think these are abnormal times. When Thomas Jefferson told the Justice Department that they had to prosecute Aaron Burr, and that he was going to have the chief justice impeached unless he found Aaron Burr guilty, those were special times too.”

ThinkingPoliticalJusticeSpecialArguingGuiltyJuryAbusiveCriminal Law
Author:Alan Dershowitz
Create image

“Let no one ever shy away from the claim that Jews have power, that Jews have influence. We have learned the terrible lesson of history; that unless we have influence and power, disproportionate to our small numbers - immoral results will occur. We need power. And we must continue to use our power. Power which we earned, power which no one gave us on a silver platter, power which we worked hard for - use that power in the interests of justice.”

NeedsHardUseInterestJusticeResultsNumbersInfluenceTerribleLessonsClaimsJewShySilverImmoralSmall NumbersSilver PlatterInfluence And Power
Author:Alan Dershowitz
Create image

“Law is an imperfect profession in which success can rarely be achieved without some sacrifice of principle. Thus all practicing lawyers -- and most others in the profession -- will necessarily be imperfect, especially in the eyes of young idealists. There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we see it.”

KnowsInspirationalMotivationalEyeLawYoungJusticePerfectPrinciplesSacrificeEthicsAbsolutesInjusticeProfessionLawyerImperfectIdealist
Author:Alan Dershowitz
Create image