Byron White Quotes

A collection of quotes by Byron White.

Byron White (1917-2002) was an American football player, lawyer, and jurist. He is best known for his accomplishments in the realm of law. After achieving success as a professional football player, White attended Yale Law School and eventually served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Associate Justice Fred M. Vinson. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy appointed White to the Supreme Court, where he served until his retirement in 1993. Throughout his career, White maintained a reputation as a pragmatic and independent thinker, often casting decisive votes on important cases.

The Court is most vulnerable and comes nearest to illegitima

The Court is most vulnerable and comes nearest to illegitimacy when it deals with judge-made constitutional law having little or no cognizable roots in the language or design of the Constitution.

Byron White

Design

The 1st Amendment protects the right to speak, not the right

The 1st Amendment protects the right to speak, not the right to spend.

Byron White

History