Tom C. Clark

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

“Past conduct may well relate to present fitness; past loyalty may have a reasonable relationship to present and future trust.”

“The criminal goes free, if he must, but it is the law that sets him free. Nothing can destroy a government more quickly than its failure to observe its own laws, or worse, its disregard of the charter of its own existence.”

“In the relationship between man and religion, the State is firmly committed to a position of neutrality.”

“The fantastic advances in the field of electronic surveillance constitute a great danger to the privacy of the individual.”

“We have a Model T judicial system in the age of the UNIVAC.”

“The most important person in the courtroom is the witness.”

“Every experienced trial judge and trial lawyer knows the value for impeaching purposes of statements of the witness recording the events before time dulls treacherous memory.”

“The transportation of people is 'commerce' which concerns more States than one.”

“Who can define the meaning of 'un-American'? What is that single, solitary principle which signifies the character of our Nation?”