Posted on 06/24/2005 1:13:50 PM PDT by Crackingham
Lawyers should speak up and explain the judicial process when judges come under attack, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy told members of the Florida Bar on Friday.
"When judges are attacked unfairly, it's proper for the bar over the course of time, in a professional and elegant way, to explain to the public the meaning of the rule of the law," Kennedy told several hundred lawyers attending the Florida Bar's annual meeting.
In the past year, the judiciary has come under attack from U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who openly criticized the federal courts when they refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. Delay pointed to Kennedy as an example of Republican members of the Supreme Court who were activist and isolated. Other conservative critics have accused the courts of housing "activist judges," and in Chicago, the husband and mother of a federal judge were found murdered in her home. There's nothing wrong with criticizing cases, Kennedy said.
"We want a debate on what the law does and what it means," he added. "Judges aren't immune from criticism and neither are their decisions."
What is worrisome is when the criticism isn't just focused on a decision but at the judiciary, and increasingly, individual judges, he said. Lawyers can act as an intermediary between the decisions made by judges and the larger society by explaining, he added.
"When the judiciary is under attack, the bar disengaged, the public indifferent and critics scornful, then this idea of judicial independence might be under a real threat," Kennedy said.
Some critics believe that the idea of judicial independence gives judges the ability to rule however they want to, but the opposite is true, Kennedy said.
"Judicial independence is so that a judge can do what he has to do or what she must do," Kennedy said.
Boy, was it a mistake to place this guy on the SC.
Half the Supreme Court is full of idiots . Defend that.
Translation: "You peons aren't smart enough to understand our brilliant legal minds"
Impeachment is necessary and needed. It was never meant by the Founders to be an occasional once in a blue moon solution. The Founders expected impeachment would be needed on a regular basis to properly guard our freedoms.
Patriots must defend American from judiciary attacks.
I'm a lawyer, and my inclination is to pile on. The courts are engaged in the most collossal abuse of power ever witnessed in this country since its founding. The current Supreme Court should be removed from the bench by Constitutional amendment, and every decision rendered by it since 1965 should be declared without precedental value.
Some critics believe that the idea of judicial independence gives judges the ability to rule however they want to, but the opposite is true, Kennedy said.
is contradicted by this one:
"Judicial independence is so that a judge can do what he has to do or what she must do," Kennedy said.
Ain't enough lawyers in the world to keep me from saying what I think of you, Kennedy. You've earned every word of scorn I can heap on your sorry usurping scalp.
Oh, yeah! Sure!
Rule 1. How can you tell when a lawyer is lying?
When his/her lips are moving.
Rule 2. What is a judge?
An attorney in a robe.
And this comes on the heels of the Eminent Domain decision because... Anyone, anyone?
;(
Isn't Justice Kennedy the one who looks to "international law" and Europe to determine how he should decide opinions on U.S. law?
Kennedy believes judges are infallible.
"Judicial independence is so that a judge can do what he has to do or what she must do," Kennedy said.
What you had to do was uphold the 5th Amendment in Kelo v. New London. You failed miserably.
"Lawyers should speak up and explain the judicial process when judges come under attack, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy told members of the Florida Bar on Friday."
My trust for lawyers ranks right up there with the judiciary.
What? Explaining that 50% of the Court is nuts? I don't need a lawyer to tell me that!
Any more decisions like yesterday and those lawyers will need armor and air support.
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