Our procedure has been always haunted by the ghost of the innocent man convicted. It is an unreal dream. What we need to fear is the archaic formalism and the watery sentiment that obstructs, delays, and defeats the prosecution of crime.

Learned Hand

United States v. Garsson

More information about this quote

Topic

Criminal law Crime

Author

Learned Hand

Source

United States v. Garsson

Medium

Legal opinion

Genre

Legal writing

Language

English

Time

1923 1920s 20th century

Occupation

Judge Lawyer

From

United States

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Hand, Learned. District Court, S. D. New York. United States v. Garsson. 291 F. 646. 1 Feb. 1923.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Learned Hand about criminal law: “Our procedure has been always haunted by the ghost of the innocent man…”
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A quote by Learned Hand about criminal law: “Our procedure has been always haunted by the ghost of the innocent man…”
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A quote by Learned Hand about criminal law: “Our procedure has been always haunted by the ghost of the innocent man…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Learned Hand

This much I think I do know—that a society so riven that the spirit of moderation is gone, no court can save; that a society where the spirit flourishes, no court need save; that in a society which evades its responsibility by thrusting upon the courts the nurture of that spirit, that spirit in the end will perish.

Learned Hand

More information about this quote
Topic
Law and culture Politics is downstream of culture
Speaker
Learned Hand
Language
English
Time
1942 1940s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Hand, Learned. "The Contribution of an Independent Judiciary to Civilization." 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. 21 Nov. 1942, Boston, MA, USA.

Another quote from the 1920s

Justice is not to be taken by storm. She is to be wooed by slow advances.

More information about this quote
Topic
Justice Incremental progress Political theory
Speaker
Benjamin Cardozo
Source
The Function and the Ends of Law
Medium
Speech
Language
English
Time
1923 1920s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Cardozo, Benjamin Nathan. "The Function and the Ends of Law." Dec. 1923, Yale University Law School, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.