"The law itself is on trial quite as much as the cause which is to be decided."
by:
Harlan F. Stone
12th Chief Justice U.S. Supreme Court
Source:
US Supreme Court 1941
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Reader comments about this quote:
True! All laws stop at the courtroom door and the jury decides the circumstances of the paticular instance the accused broke the law.
 -- cal, lewisville, tx     
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    No law is required to get you convicted on not filing tax returns. As long jury believes there is a law and as long as they believe you have a large income with income undefined and as long as they believe you would not be in court if you were not guilty, Neither the prosecutor nor the judge will be concerned about the lack of a law, you will face the prospect of 3 hots and a cot. In my state case, the prosecutor teamed up with state auditor to manufacture evidence long after trial began. There are better battles that will not get you jailed than tax battles such as the battles against our extermination by chlorination, fluoridation, bromination, diet soda, sugar, milk, alum, etc.
     -- yahoodi, Dumbed Down, Delaware     
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    yahoodi, you know you're not alone in being violated by the vile system of criminals (prosecutors, judges, policing agencies, etc.). The majority incorrectly call such travesties trial or court. I've been in court when the prosecutor beat his drum (with judge promotion) as to the fraud an accountant had perpetrated on the government because without his expertise, people would have payed much more in taxes (even though there was no infraction of a statute). He went to jail anyway. The law that the accountant was accused of may briefly been brought up - maybe !
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    The People are nearly as responsible as the Court that oppresses them. Freedom is the responsibility of he who posseses it. It is the People's responsibility to know the law, to know justice, and to be aware of jury nullification. Those placed in the sacred position of being in a jury of peers must look upon the accused as just that, an accused peer, not a guilty lower party. They must make the evidence change their minds; guilt must be proven. If we the peers disregard justice, which is the higher calling for which the law is meant to be, than we decide not only the fate of the accused, but our own fate as well as the fate of our children. Liberty depends on the People's knowledge of its principles. We must get educated of what liberty truly is and how to defend it; of what justice is and how to administer it. If you do not know what your rights are - than you have none. If you do not know what justice is - than you won't get it.
     -- Publius     
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    Juries pretty much do what the judges tell them to do. There is never any mention of that good old tradition, jury nullification. Mores the shame.
     -- jim k, Austin,Tx     
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    This is exactly what I have been saying.
     -- Anonymous     
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    The Country is on trial
     -- RBESRQ     
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