Dissents Quotes

Thus, he brought a renewed emphasis on the rights of victims as well as a new respect for the law officer who works to make this a safe place to live... As a young prosecutor, I remember being thrilled to read Chief Justice Rehnquist's dissents in criminal law cases, often lone dissents, that in some cases have become majority opinions of the court under his leadership. - Jeff Sessions

The truth is that a vast restructuring of our society is needed if remedies are to become available to the average person. Without that restructuring the good will that holds society together will be slowly dissipated. . . . It is that sense of futility which permeates the present series of protests and dissents. Where there is a persistent sense of futility, there is violence; and that is where we are today. - William Orville Douglas

Rehnquist thought [the court] had gone way too far, and in many dissents was working to cut it back. He succeeded, and he began to succeed even before he became chief justice. He gradually cut back federal-court supervision of state prosecutions. [The death penalty ban] was reversed. And the limits upon prosecutors and police were rationalized and relaxed. - Charles Fried

Justice (Stephen) Breyer almost never dissents... For him to be that strident I think reflects the deep underlying concern about the appearance of political impropriety. - Neal Katyal

In this Court dissents have gradually become majority opinions. - Felix Frankfurter

I can't recall any FOMC meeting with more than a couple of dissents from the message. - James Smith

Dissents speak to a future age. - Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Dissents are appeals to the brooding spirit of the law, to the intelligence of another day. - Charles Evans Hughes

But the greatest dissents do become court opinions and gradually over time their views become the dominant view. - Ruth Bader Ginsburg