Rose E. Bird

“The role of the court is to protect the rights of the minority against the will of the majority.”

“When you are a public figure, you are an object of intense scrutiny. It comes with the territory.”

“The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be the popular theme of the day.”

“The law is a shield and not a sword.”

“A judge who is swayed by public opinion is not a judge.”

“The rights of the accused are the rights of all of us.”

“If you believe in the rule of law, you must apply it equally to everyone, regardless of their station in life.”

“Justice should not be for sale.”

“It is easy to be a supporter of the Constitution; the test comes when you have to apply it to someone you hate.”

“I have no apologies to make to anyone.”

“The Constitution is the ultimate shield for all of us.”

“I think it is a mistake for any judge... to start taking a look at public opinion polls.”