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William Rehnquist

William Rehnquist Quotes

Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

William H. Rehnquist was a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, born on October 1, 1924, and passed away on September 3, 2005. He held a significant position in American judicial history, serving as an Associate Justice for 33 years and was one of the longest-serving Chief Justices in U.S. history.

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Famous William Rehnquist Quotes

“We start with first principles. The Constitution creates a Federal Government of enumerated powers.”

Firsts Government Principles Power Constitution Federal Government

Author:William Rehnquist

“At the heart of the First Amendment is the recognition of the fundamental importance of the free flow of ideas and opinions on matters of public interest and concern. The freedom to speak one's mind is not only an aspect of individual liberty - and thus a good unto itself - but also is essential to the common quest for truth and the vitality of society as a whole. We have therefore been particularly vigilant to ensure that individual expressions of ideas remain free from governmentally imposed sanctions.”

“The "wall of separation between church and State" is a metaphor based on bad history.”

States Church Wall Metaphor Separation Church And State Separation Of Church And State Separation Between Church And State Freedom Of Religion

Author:William Rehnquist

“Somewhere "out there," beyond the walls of the courthouse, run currents and tides of public opinion which lap at the courtroom door.”

Running Opinion Doors Wall Currents Tides Public Opinion Lap Courtroom Somewhere Out There Courthouses

Author:William Rehnquist

“Conservatives are those who worship dead radicals.”

Worship Radical

Author:William Rehnquist

“In any civilized society the most important task is achieving a proper balance between freedom and order. In wartime, reason and history both suggest that this balance shifts in favor... of the government's ability to deal with conditions that threaten the national well-being.”

Wells Important Reason Government Order Ability Deals Achieve Conditions Balance Tasks Favors Well Being Civilized Civilized Society Wartime

Author:William Rehnquist

“It is impossible to build sound constitutional doctrine upon a mistaken understanding of Constitutional history... The establishment clause has been expressly freighted with Jefferson's misleading metaphor for nearly forty years... There is simply no historical foundation for the proposition that the framers intended to build a wall of separation... The recent court decisions are in no way based on either the language or intent of the framers.”

“I may not be able to define pornography but I know it when I see it.”

Author:William Rehnquist

“The laws will not be silent in time of war but they'll speak with a somewhat different voice.”

Different War Speak Silent

Author:William Rehnquist

“[I]f we assume a liberty interest but nevertheless say that, even assuming a liberty interest, a state can prohibit it entirely, that would be rather a conundrum.”

States Would Be Death Interest Liberty Dying Assuming Nevertheless Conundrums

Author:William Rehnquist

“The Equal Rights Amendment would "turn holy wedlock into holy deadlock."”

Turns Rights Holy Equal Amendments Equal Rights Funny Marriage Wedlock Equal Rights Amendment

Author:William Rehnquist

“If you could say of any one individual that the court as an institution is the length and shadow of that individual, surely it would be John Marshall.”

Ifs Would Be Individual Shadow Institutions Court Length

Author:William Rehnquist

“It is always possible for the court to overreach its proper bounds and perhaps declare a lot of laws unconstitutional and frustrate the will of the majority in a way that it ought not be frustrated.”

Way Law Ought Majority Court Bounds Frustrated Unconstitutional

Author:William Rehnquist

“Perhaps you should say there should be mandatory retirement even of members of the court, members of the federal judiciary. I'm sure there can be questions about whether one does as good work when you get into your - you know, I'm 67.”

Knows Should Doe Members Court Retirement Good Work Judiciary

Author:William Rehnquist

“I realize that it is an unpopular and unhumanitarian position, for which I have been excoriated by 'liberal' colleagues, but I think Plessy v. Ferguson was right and should be re-affirmed.”

Thinking Should Has Beens Realizing Position Colleagues Ferguson

Author:William Rehnquist

“The 'wall of separation between church and state' is a metaphor based on bad history, a metaphor which has proved useless as a guide to judging. It should be frankly and explicitly abandoned.”

Should States Church Judging Wall Metaphor Scary Guides Separation Useless Abandoned Church And State Separation Of Church And State Separation Between Church And State

Author:William Rehnquist

“Pregnancy is of course confined to women, but it is in other ways significantly different from the typical covered disease or disability.”

Way Different Courses Disease Pregnancy Covered Disability Typical Confined

Author:William Rehnquist

“What many of those who oppose the use of juries in civil trials seem to ignore is that the founders of our Nation considered the right of trial by jury in civil cases an important bulwark against tyranny and corruption, a safeguard too precious to be left to the whim of the sovereign, or, it might be added, to that of the judiciary.”

Important Use Seems Might Law Left Nations Cases Corruption Trials Tyranny Founders Sovereign Jury Whim Judiciary Trial By Jury

Author:William Rehnquist

“The Constitution requires that Congress treat similarly situated persons similarly, not that it engages in gestures of superficial equality.”

Persons Treats Constitution Congress Gestures Superficial

Author:William Rehnquist

“A father's interest in having a child--perhaps his only child--may be unmatched by any other interest in his life. It is truly surprising that the state must assign a greater value to a mother's decision to cut off a potential human life by abortion than to a father's decision to let it mature into a live child.”

Humans May Children States Mother Values Father Interest Decision Greater Cutting Human Life Abortion Mature Surprising Only Child

Author:William Rehnquist

About the Author

Born: October 1, 1924
Died: September 3, 2005
Known for: Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Quotes: 20

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