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John Marshall Quotes

Former Chief Justice of the United States

John Marshall, a renowned jurist and politician in the United States, served as the Chief Justice of the United States. Born on September 24, 1755, in Virginia, he passed away on July 6, 1835. Marshall had a profound impact on the judicial field, with his legal principles still being followed in the American legal system today.

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Famous John Marshall Quotes

“Courts are the mere instruments of the law, and can will nothing. When they are said to exercise a discretion, it is a mere legal discretion, a discretion to be exercised in discerning the course prescribed by law; and, when that is discerned, it is the duty of the Court to follow it. Judicial power is never exericised for the purpose of giving effect to the will of the Judge; always for the purpose of giving effect to the will of the Legislature; or, in other words, to the will of the law.”

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Author:John Marshall

“It is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is.”

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Author:John Marshall

“The particular phraseology of the Constitution of the United States confirms and strengthens the principle, supposed to be essential to all written constitutions, that a law repugnant to the Constitution is void; and that courts, as well as other departments, are bound by that instrument.”

Source: The Political and Economic Doctrines of John Marshall

“It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is...If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each...This is of the very essence of judicial duty.”

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Author:John Marshall