Stephen Breyer Quotations

But once the person is selected, at that point that person is independent.

Judges are appointed often through the political process

And the problem is once you get into this campaign business and begin to have a lot of money, then the person on the bench begins to think - what's going to happen if I decide the case this way or that way?

We are selected, but I grew up in California and in San Francisco and there was a system of electing judges.

Nobody wants a judge to be subject to the political whim of the moment.

Every citizen has to figure out what kind of government he or she wants.

We can speak about the institution, but ultimately the bar is the group that both is in touch with the public on the one hand and understands the judicial institution on the other

Independence means you decide according to the law and the facts.

It doesn't help to fight crime to put people in prison who are innocent.

I mean, there are lots of people who get married who can't have children. To take a state that does allow adoption and say-there, what is the justification for saying no gay marriage? Certainly not the one you said, is it?