Earl Warren Quotes

A republic is not an easy form of government to live under, and when the responsibility of citizenship is evaded, democracy decays and authoritarianism takes over.

In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education.

You sit up there, and you see the whole gamut of human nature. Even if the case being argued involves only a little fellow and $50, it involves justice. That’s what is important.

A society, in the process of moving forward, often appears to be tearing itself apart. Certainly, an age of rapid change, such as ours, produces many paradoxes. But perhaps the most tragic paradox of our time is to be found in the failure of nation-states to recognize the imperatives of internationalism.

The mere summoning of a witness and compelling him to testify against his will, about his beliefs, expressions or associations, is a measure of governmental interference. And when those forced revelations concern maters that are unorthodox, unpopular, or even hateful to the general public, the reactions in the life of the witness may be disastrous.

Prior to any questioning, the person must be warned that he has a right to remain silent, that any statement he does make may be used as evidence against him and that he has a right to the presence of an attorney, either retained or appointed.

Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms.

Liberty, not communism, is the most contagious force in the world.

If Nixon is not forced to turn over tapes of his conversations with the ring of men who were conversing on their violations of the law, then liberty will soon be dead in this nation.

It is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive.

Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile, I caught hell for.

Legislators represent people, not trees or acres. Legislators are elected by voters, not farms or cities or economic interests.