Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., The Quotes

A collection of quotes by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., The .

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841-1935) was an influential American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1902 to 1932. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he came from a prominent and intellectual family. Holmes attended Harvard College and served in the American Civil War, where he was wounded three times and later earned the rank of lieutenant colonel.

In his legal career, Holmes became known for his pragmatic and sometimes controversial approach to interpreting the law. He believed that legal principles should adapt and evolve to reflect changing social and economic circumstances. Holmes was a strong advocate for judicial restraint, believing that judges should be cautious in overturning legislation passed by democratically-elected representatives.

During his long tenure on the Supreme Court, Holmes wrote numerous influential opinions, including notable dissents that would later gain recognition as significant contributions to legal thinking. One of his most famous dissents came in the case of Abrams v. United States, where he argued for a broad interpretation of the First Amendment to protect speech critical of the government. Holmes's views had a lasting impact on constitutional law and civil liberties in the United States.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. is remembered today as one of the most brilliant and revered legal minds in American history, whose ideas continue to shape the field of law.